NASA marked the Hubble Space Telescope’s 35th year in orbit with four images released on April 23, 2025: Mars, part of the Rosette Nebula, the planetary nebula NGC 2899, and the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5335. Together, they move from a nearby planet to star birth, a dying star, and a distant galaxy—but they were not all observed at the same time.
What are the new Hubble 35th-anniversary images?
Hubble launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990, and was deployed into Earth orbit the following day. NASA released the four-image anniversary collection on April 23, 2025, the day before the launch anniversary. Each image offers a different view of the universe and a different stage or scale of astronomical activity.
Mars: a planet with a frosty appearance
Hubble observed Mars in December 2024. NASA says thin water-ice clouds, revealed by Hubble’s ultraviolet capability, give the planet a frosty appearance. The image is a reminder that Hubble can study objects in our own solar system as well as far more distant targets.
Rosette Nebula: a glimpse into a star-forming region
The Rosette Nebula image is a small portion of a much larger star-forming region, not a view of the entire nebula. NASA describes dark hydrogen-gas clouds laced with dust, silhouetted against the brighter material behind them. Those dense clouds are part of the complex environment in which stars form.
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- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- HUBBLE TELESCOPE – 1 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 3.00 x 2.00 x 2.50 inches.
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
NGC 2899: a dying star shapes a nebula
NGC 2899 is a planetary nebula, a structure formed as a star in a late stage of its life sheds material. NASA describes this one as moth-like in shape, sculpted by radiation and stellar winds from a white dwarf at its center. The dying star is nearly 40,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
NGC 5335: patchy star formation across a galaxy
NGC 5335 is a barred spiral galaxy. NASA classifies it as a flocculent spiral: instead of prominent, continuous spiral arms, it has patchy streamers of star formation across its disk. A bar runs through the center of the galaxy.
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- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
- JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE - 2.75 Sheet Model with a moderate difficulty level. Assembled Size: 4.13 L x 2.75 W x 2.75 H inches. 1:221 Scale. 62 Pieces
- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
How to view the images and follow the tour
NASA’s anniversary image page provides full-resolution display and print files. NASA Goddard’s April 24, 2025 narrated tour features Hubble Senior Project Scientist Jennifer Wiseman discussing the four targets. For more official imagery, NASA’s Hubble image galleries include a 35-years countdown with one image for each year in orbit.
The NASA, ESA, and STScI credits for the anniversary images list Joseph DePasquale and Alyssa Pagan of STScI as image processors. If reusing an image, follow the credit attached to that individual asset and check NASA’s asset page for its usage guidance; credit and rights details should not be assumed identical for every component.
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What Hubble’s 35 years in orbit mean
Hubble observes in ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. Its position in low Earth orbit gives it a view above Earth’s atmosphere, allowing it to collect observations that ground-based telescopes cannot make in the same way. NASA’s anniversary overview displays a total of 1.7 million observations.
The scientific record is also extensive. NASA reported that Hubble discoveries had resulted in more than 22,000 papers and over 1.3 million citations as of February 2025. Those are NASA’s dated figures, not fixed totals: the body of Hubble research continues to grow.
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- Set Includes 4 Kits: Hubble Telescope - Apollo Lunar Rover
- Assembly required - Simply pop out the pieces and connect tabs and holes
- Ages 14+ - Moderate
- Hubble Telescope = 3" x 2" x 2.5" when assembled - Easy Difficulty Level
- Apollo Lunar Rover = 3.55" x 1.77" x 2.28" when assembled - Moderate Difficulty Level
Hubble is part of a broader observing effort, not a contest with newer telescopes. NASA describes it as a complementary scientific partner to the James Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Their capabilities and roles are best understood by comparing wavelength coverage, instruments, targets, and scientific aims rather than declaring one observatory a winner.
In NASA’s April 23, 2025 release, Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters, said: “Hubble opened a new window to the universe when it launched 35 years ago. Its stunning imagery inspired people across the globe, and the data behind those images revealed surprises about everything from early galaxies to planets in our own solar system,”
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More official Hubble resources
NASA’s free downloadable Hubble’s Beautiful Universe, published April 4, 2025, explores the mission and its imagery. The narrated anniversary tour and image galleries offer additional ways to explore Hubble’s observations.
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