In 2024, the cosmos became an accessible spectacle; amazing global auroras, dazzling meteor showers, and an unforgettable total solar eclipse were just some of the celestial wonders that captivated millions on our planet. While we reveled in the night sky's beauty, ambitious missions aimed for the stars, delivering remarkable images from both near and far. Here are the year's standout space photos that left a lasting impression—and the stories behind them.

Precision Landing

On January 19, Japan's Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) made history with the successful lunar landing of its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), marking Japan's first venture onto the lunar surface. This mission also secured the title of the most precise lunar landing in history, with SLIM touching down just 10 meters from its intended target—affectionately dubbed "Moon Sniper." However, the lander faced a minor mishap—landing on its side instead of upright. Remarkably, it survived three grueling lunar nights before communication ceased in April. A tiny robot companion, Sora-Q, captured breathtaking images of the downed lander, showcasing the challenges of lunar exploration.

Cosmic Collision

The Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes united to capture an arresting image of colliding galaxies IC 2163 and NGC 2207. Acclaimed for its ability to see in infrared, Webb brought forth a striking composition that rendered the interacting galaxies with blood-red hues. These star-birth factories are in a cosmic dance that will eventually unite into one megagalaxy, appearing as enigmatic, watchful 'eyes' in the abyss of space.

A Lunar Selfie

February 15 saw another groundbreaking achievement when Intuitive Machines launched its robotic lander, Odysseus (affectionately Odie), toward the moon. Just a week later, Odie made history as the first privately-funded spacecraft to land on the moon, and the first U.S. craft to touch its surface in over half a century. During its lunar descent, it took a triumphant selfie against the backdrop of Earth, symbolizing the dawn of commercial lunar exploration.

Volcanic View

Jupiter's moon, Io, known for its extreme volcanic activity, was the focus of NASA’s Juno mission that ventured within 930 miles of the moon's surface. This marked the closest approach in decades, capturing detailed images of Loki Patera—a massive lava lake stretching 127 miles long. The pictures revealed exceptionally vivid lava flows, showcasing Io's continual rebirth through its fiery landscape.

The Comet's Hand

May saw the unveiling of a captivating image of a distant cometary globule known as "God's Hand," approximately 1,300 light-years away in the constellation Puppis. This ethereal image, taken with the Dark Energy Camera on the Blanco Telescope in Chile, showcases a comet-like cloud of gas known for its star-forming capabilities. Researchers are still unraveling the mysteries of its formation, which may be influenced by the radiation from nearby stars.

The Perseid Meteor Shower

Stonehenge, the ancient astronomical marvel, served as a stunning backdrop during the famous Perseid meteor shower in August. Astrophotographer Josh Dury compiled 43 exposures to create an exquisite composite image that displayed meteors streaking across the sky, reminding viewers of humankind’s ancient connection to the stars.

Zooming into Space

In an unprecedented achievement, astronomers captured the first close-up image of an individual star outside our galaxy—WOH G64, or "the behemoth star." Located 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud, this colossal sphere is over 1,500 times wider than the sun, and its imminent supernova explosion adds to its grandeur. The image was acquired through the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope Interferometer in Chile.

A Celestial Eclipse

April 8 was a momentous date as a total solar eclipse darkened portions of North America, drawing in approximately 44 million viewers. Specialized equipment allowed avid astronomers to capture stunning views of solar prominences—towering pink structures of plasma—rising from the edge of the sun. This unique visual phenomenon was thanks to the sun’s hydrogen emissions, creating exquisite color contrast against the backdrop of the eclipse.

Space Junk Up Close

In a pioneering effort, Astroscale took the first close-up shot of space debris in low Earth orbit, revealing the spent upper stage of a Japanese H-IIA rocket. This groundbreaking image is crucial for understanding the dangers posed by thousands of pieces of space junk circling Earth. Astroscale plans to use their success in capturing this image to demonstrate how they will eventually remove hazardous debris from orbit.

The First Commercial Spacewalk

September marked an extraordinary milestone with billionaire astronaut Jared Isaacman performing the first commercial spacewalk while partially exiting a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. This groundbreaking moment not only highlighted the advancements in private space missions but was also a key event in the Polaris Dawn project. The image captured evokes the thrilling possibility of space exploration beyond our wildest dreams.

From lunar landings to mesmerizing cosmic events and the pursuit of understanding our universe, 2024 provided a spectacular array of visuals that both entertained and enlightened us about space's mysteries.