The eternally silent, ethereal realms of space hold undeniable appeal. As children, we dream of jettisoning toward the stars, all of Earth left behind us, the universe at our disposal for exploration and discovery. We still flock to movie theaters to watch heroes battle alien lifeforms, zooming through the galaxy at impossible speeds, moving naturally through the most hostile environments imaginable for human life.
These breathtaking images from NASA's image gallery offer us a glimpse of what lies beyond our atmosphere. From their stellar inceptions to their violent and explosive deaths, the stars of the Milky Way galaxy are as fascinating as they are beautiful.
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As you click through this gallery and traverse the far recesses of the Milky Way, we recommend music to truly kick your galactic exploration up a notch. Check out our Spotify playlist for space exploration, or listen to "Birth and Death of the Day" by Explosions in the Sky, which gave us goosebumps.
Live long and prosper, may the Force be with you and be sure to let us know in the comments which image is your favorite.