Orbit Collection

International Space Station, 2008
International Space Station (ISS), February 2008, taken from the Space Shuttle Atlantis after undocking took place towards the end of the Shuttles mission to the ISS

Solar system planets. Artwork showing the Sun (left) and the eight planets of the solar system and their orbits. From left to right they are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn

Solar system planets. Computer artwork of the eight planets of the solar system, which are arrayed from left to right in order of distance from the Sun (left)

Epicycles of Mercury and Venus, 1823 C017 / 8061
Epicycles of Mercury and Venus, 19th-century diagram. This geocentric (Earth-centred) model shows the orbits of Mercury and Venus as a series of epicycles (loops)

Jupiter from Europa, artwork
Jupiter from Europa. Computer artwork of a view towards Jupiter and its moons, across the surface of Europa as it might have looked four billion years ago

Soviet poster commemorating Yuri Gagarin
Soviet poster commemorating the first manned spaceflight by Yuri Gagarin on 12th April 1961. Gagarins flight lasted 108 minutes

Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn and and its moon Titan

Nuclear Fission Artwork
Nuclear fission. Conceptual computer artwork of an atom being split through nuclear, or atomic, fission (splitting). Electrons (orange) can be seen orbiting the nucleus (centre)

A total eclipse of the Sun as seen from being in Earths orbit

With the sun at the center; Copernicus appears at lower right and Ptolemy at lower left
COPERNICAN UNIVERSE, 1660. With the sun at the center; Copernicus appears at lower right and Ptolemy at lower left. Copperplate engraving from Andreas Cellarius Atlas Coelestis seu Harmonia

Sputnik 1 stamp. Artwork of Sputnik 1, the worlds first artificial satellite, on a stamp issued by the communist government of the former Soviet Union. Sputnik 1 was launched on October 4th, 1957

Solar system map from 1853
Historical map of the solar system, published in Germany in 1853. The main diagram shows the orbits of the first seven planets out to Uranus

Quantised orbits of the planets
Quantum orbits of the planets. Conceptual computer artwork showing the planets of the solar system on a model of atomic orbitals

Orbit of Sputnik 1, Soviet 1957 diagram
Orbit of Sputnik 1. Diagram showing the Earth orbits possible for different spacecrafts. Sputnik 1, the first spacecraft ever to reach Earth orbit, was launched on 4 October 1957 by the Soviet Union

Gagarin and Tereshkova, souvenir postcard
Gagarin and Tereshkova, Soviet cosmonauts, souvenir postcard. Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968) was the first person in space. On 12 April 1961

Skylab in orbit above Earth at the end of its mission, 1974. Creator: NASA
Skylab in orbit above Earth at the end of its mission, 1974. The Skylab space station, first launched in May 1973, and was occupied in succession by three teams of three crewmembers

Atomic structure, artwork
Atomic structure. Computer artwork of electrons orbiting a central nucleus. This is a classical schematic Bohr model of an atom

Model of Russian Molniya-1 satellite
Molniya 1 communications satellite. Model of a Molniya-1 military communications satellite in its orbital configuration. Molniya-1 was the first attempt by the Soviet Union to provide satellite-based

Return to Flight spacewalk. Astronaut Soichi Noglichi (from Japans space agency) waving for the camera. Astronaut Steve Robinson is seen taking the picture reflected in the visor

Artwork of the solar system
Solar system. Artwork of the solar system, showing the paths (blue lines) of the nine planets as they orbit around the Sun

Four moons of Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, 1979. Four separate pictures of these moons sometimes known as the Galilean moons taken from Voyager 1

Voyager 1 spacecraft entering interstellar space
This artists concept depicts NASAs Voyager 1 spacecraft entering interstellar space, or the space between stars. Interstellar space is dominated by the plasma, or ionized gas

Soviet space-walk, artwork
Soviet space-walk. Computer artwork of a Soviet Union cosmonaut performing an extra-vehicular activity (EVA, spacewalk) in orbit over the Earth

Ernest Rutherford, caricature
Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937). Caricature of the New Zealand physicist Ernest Rutherford, with an electron orbiting his head

Comet Hale-Bopp 1997 C011 / 1167
In March 1997 comet Hale-Bopp appeared in the north-eastern morning sky and in April in the north-western evening sky to be seen all the night

An alien planet and its moon in orbit around a red giant star

Artists concept illustrating the two Saturn-sized planets discovered by the Kepler
This artistas concept illustrates the two Saturn-sized planets discovered by the Kepler mission. The star system is oriented edge-on, as seen by Kepler, such that both planets cross in front

The universe is a place of intense color and beauty

with the sun at the center. Engraving, Dutch, 17th century
COPERNICAN UNIVERSE with the sun at the center. Engraving, Dutch, 17th century

Voyager probe trajectory, artwork C018 / 0285
Voyager probe trajectory, artwork. Artwork of the trajectory of one of the Voyager probes as it travels out of the solar system

ISS and the Moon C013 / 5148
ISS and the Moon. The International Space Station (ISS, upper left) is orbiting the Earth here at an altitude of around 390 kilometres

Silhouette design for The Orbit magazine, by H.L. Oakley, showing a foxhunting scene with three riders on horseback galloping across a field. Date: circa 1926

Illustration of Saturn and Earth to scale
Illustration showing Saturn (left) and Earth (right) to scale. Saturn is nine times the diameter of Earth. Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun, Earth is the third

Chiron passing near Saturn. Chiron is a weird cross between an asteroid and comet, which are known as centaurs

Phases of the Moon, 1708
Phases of the Moon. This is plate 19 from the 1708 edition of the star atlas Harmonica Macrocosmica by the Dutch-German mathematician and cosmographer Andreas Cellarius (1596-1665)

Space station from Russian Salyut series

A spaceship in orbit over Mars moon, Phobos, with the red planet Mars in the background
The landing struts on this Mars-bound spaceship are deployed and checked in orbit prior to landing on the red planet. Mars is seen here some 93, 000 kilometres away from the its inner satellite

Neptune seen from its tiny, distant moon, Nereid

A Jupiter-mass planet orbiting the nearby star Epsilon Eridani
This is an artists concept of a Jupiter-mass planet orbiting the nearby star Epsilon Eridani. Located 10.5 light-years away, it is the closest known exoplanet to our solar system

One of the planets orbiting 70 Virginis is a super-Jupiter, so close to the star that it is heated to a red heat

Kepler-35 planetary system, artwork C015 / 0790
Kepler-35 planet system, artwork. This Saturn-size planet orbits a binary star system (top). The larger star is similar in size to the Sun, while the smaller stars diameter is 4/5th that of the Sun

Copernican worldview, 1708
Copernican worldview. This is plate 5 from the 1708 edition of the star atlas Harmonica Macrocosmica by the Dutch-German mathematician and cosmographer Andreas Cellarius (1596-1665)

1731 Johann Scheuchzer planet orbit C008 / 8008
1731 Physica Sacra (Sacred Physics) by Johann Scheuchzer (1672-1733) folio copper engraving drawn by a team of engravers under the direction of Johann Andreas Pfeffel (1674-1748)

NEPTUNE AND URANUS. The planets Neptune and Uranus in line with the Earth and Sun. Illustration by D. Berry, late 20th century

Comparing planetary systems, artwork
Comparing planetary systems. Artwork comparing the sizes of the 55 Cancri (a Sun-like system, left) and the Cha 110913-773444 (upper right) planetary systems

Skull. Computer artwork of an oblique view of a human skull. The bones of the cranium are fused together to form a solid structure that encloses and protects the brain

18th Century astronomical diagrams. Historical diagrams describing various 18th Century theoretical systems used to describe the motion of the planets in our solar system

International Space Station, 2010
International Space Station (ISS), February 2010, taken from the Space Shuttle Endeavour prior to docking at the beginning of its mission to the ISS

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"Exploring the Vastness of Orbit: A Journey through Space and Time" The Solar System Planets: Witness the mesmerizing dance of celestial bodies as they gracefully orbit around our radiant Sun. International Space Station, 2008: Behold a marvel of human ingenuity, floating effortlessly in Earth's orbit, serving as a symbol of international cooperation and scientific exploration. Jupiter from Europa, Artwork: Immerse yourself in an artist's rendition of Jupiter's majestic presence as seen from its moon Europa – a breathtaking view that sparks wonder and curiosity. Epicycles of Mercury and Venus, 1823 C017 / 8061: Delve into the intricate paths traced by Mercury and Venus throughout history – unraveling ancient astronomers' attempts to understand their complex orbital patterns. Skylab in Orbit above Earth at the End of Its Mission, 1974: Marvel at NASA's pioneering space station – Skylab – suspended high above our planet during its final moments before reentry, leaving behind an indelible mark on space exploration history. Cassini spacecraft Orbiting Saturn and Its Moon Titan: Embark on a cosmic journey alongside Cassini as it navigates Saturn's rings while capturing awe-inspiring images of its enigmatic moon Titan - revealing secrets hidden within this distant realm. Nuclear Fission Artwork: Explore the intersection between science and art with captivating visuals depicting nuclear fission - showcasing humanity's quest for knowledge even beyond Earthly boundaries. Total Eclipse of the Sun Seen from Earth’s Orbit: Experience an extraordinary event witnessed only by those fortunate enough to be in Earth’s orbit - a total eclipse casting ethereal shadows across our planet’s surface, reminding us of nature’s grand spectacle. Copernicus vs Ptolemy - A Celestial Debate Unveiled.