Perhaps our earliest ancestors first became truly “human” when they looked up into the night sky, struck with awe. Some of the oldest known records of human activity are star-charts and lunar calendars, etched in bone, stone, and animal antlers. Today, we may feel a similar rush of wonder when we see the remarkable images sent from deep space by NASA instruments.

Fine Art Canvas is honored to partner with NASA to bring these images to your home. These photographs are dynamic elements for any setting or décor, a compelling glimpse into the past as well as the future.

Small Magellanic Cloud 2013 by NASA

Without a doubt, anyone who set out to sea in a sailing vessel prior to modern technology had nerves of steel, and perhaps more than a splash of pure crazy. But of all of the brazen souls who defined the Age of Discovery, none was more recklessly thrilling than Ferdinand Magellan, the first person in recorded history to circumnavigate the globe. Magellan’s mind-blowing 1519 voyage put the Pacific Ocean on the maps of European cartographers for the first time.

This NASA image is of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) galaxy, named for the visionary Portuguese explorer who used this dwarf galaxy to guide his ships across the ocean. The SMC is located about 200,000 light-years from Earth, and orbits our own Milky Way galaxy. This image emanates a feeling of potential adventure, enticing and exhilarating. For this reason, it makes an inspiring canvas print for a studio or any creative space.

The heart of our Milky Way galaxy is captured in this remarkable image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, which uses infrared light and x-rays to see past the space dust which normally obscures hundreds of thousands of stars. On the lower right-hand side of the image is a supermassive Black Hole, some four million times larger than our Sun. This central region is the most energetic place in our galaxy, and some of the dust clouds harbor stellar nurseries where generations of new stars form. Although this image vibrates with intense activity, the effect is serene, providing a peaceful focal point on your bedroom wall.

Vision Of A Stellar Ending by NASA

Like all of our favorite Greek myths, the story of Cassiopeia is filled with vanity, jealousy, deadly pride, and revenge. Named for the beautiful and equally arrogant queen Cassiopeia, this NASA image captures the blast-wave created by the collapse of a supergiant star over 11,000 years ago.  This galactic event formed an incredibly dense ball of neutrons, and its exterior was blasted away in an immense release of energy astronomers call a supernova.

The light from this supernova first reached Earth from the constellation Cassiopeia around 1667, although clouds of cosmic dust likely obscured the view. The remnant of this supernova were discovered in 1947 from its powerful radio emission, and it’s one of the brightest radio sources in the known cosmos. The merging of beauty and destruction that this constellation represents creates an intriguing duality, making this star-scape art print an alluring focal point for a living room or conference area.

Hubble Years And Counting by NASA

This NASA image provokes a sense of mystery and wonder, capturing the giant red nebula (NGC 2014) nicknamed the “Cosmic Reef.” Its smaller blue neighbor, visible on the lower left (NGC 2020), was created by a solitary mammoth star 200,000 times brighter than our Sun.

This image has a surprisingly organic look, suggesting undulating deep-sea views, or perhaps the detail of a greatly magnified cell. We love this particularly dramatic image as a framed canvas print for a living room, perhaps over a fireplace.

Andromeda The Galaxy Next Door by NASA

In Greek mythology, Andromeda was the daughter of the prideful queen Cassiopeia. Her mother’s arrogance resulted in Andromeda being chained to a rock by the sea, surrounded by hungry monsters. Luckily, Perseus glimpsed her as he flew by on the winged horse, Pegasus, and rescued her from her punishment.

This image from NASA’s Galaxy Evolution Explorer shows us an ultraviolet side of the Andromeda galaxy (M31), our Milky Way’s largest galactic neighbor. Andromeda is a brilliantly bright, barred spiral galaxy measuring 260,000 light-years across, one of only 10 galaxies visible with the naked eye from Earth. The striking rings of massive baby stars are the galaxy’s most iconic feature, making this piece of art a stellar print for a mid-century or atomic decorating scheme.

It’s ironic that the most sophisticated instruments created by humans now transmit images of astral activity that predates the formation of our own planet by many millions of years. And like our first human ancestors, we still search the night sky for a familiar constellation to guide our wanderings, and whisper secret wishes on falling stars.

Explore our NASA collection, and find a canvas print to make your home feel like heaven on earth.