What kinds of Hubble images and videos are available on ESA/Hubble?

Updated

ESA/Hubble (esahubble.org) organizes its visual content into two main libraries — Images and Videos — each browsable by category and by format, with advanced search available for both. If you need a specific type of Hubble visual (a galaxy portrait, a fulldome clip, a high-resolution download), you can go straight to the matching category rather than scrolling through everything.

Images

The image library is split into category browsing and curated collections.

Categories

Images are grouped by subject, including:

  • Anniversary
  • Cosmology
  • Exoplanets
  • Galaxies
  • Illustrations
  • James Webb Space Telescope
  • Launch/Servicing Missions
  • Miscellaneous
  • Nebulae
  • Quasars & Black Holes
  • Solar System
  • Spacecraft
  • Star Clusters
  • Stars

Curated collections and formats

  • Top 100 — a curated selection of the site's best images.
  • Top 100 Large Size — ZIP file, 1.2 GB.
  • Top 100 Original Size — ZIP file, 4.7 GB.
  • Picture of the Month and Picture of the Week — recurring featured-image series.
  • Advanced Search — filter images by category and format.
  • Usage of Images and Videos — the page covering terms for reusing the material.

So if you want full-resolution files rather than web-sized previews, the Top 100 ZIP downloads are the direct route; the 4.7 GB original-size package is the highest-resolution option listed.

Videos

The video library follows the same category-and-format structure.

Categories

  • 3D Animations
  • Cosmology
  • Fulldome
  • Exoplanets
  • Eyes on the Skies DVD
  • Galaxies
  • HD Videos
  • Hubble 15 Years DVD
  • Hubble Images Videos
  • Hubblecast
  • James Webb Space Telescope
  • Miscellaneous
  • Nebulae
  • Quasars & Black Holes
  • Solar System
  • Spacecraft
  • Space Sparks
  • Star Clusters
  • Stars

Formats and search

  • Video Formats — browse by delivery format.
  • Advanced Search — filter videos by category and format.
  • Usage of Images and Videos — reuse terms, same as for images.

The category list shows the range clearly: everything from short Hubblecast episodes and HD footage to fulldome planetarium clips and 3D animations.

How to find what you need

  1. Decide whether you want a still image or a video.
  2. Pick the matching subject category (e.g., Nebulae for images, Fulldome for videos).
  3. If you need a specific resolution or format, use Advanced Search instead of browsing.
  4. For the highest-quality stills, check the Top 100 collections and choose Large Size or Original Size depending on your storage and quality needs.
  5. Before publishing or redistributing anything, read Usage of Images and Videos.

One practical note: the two Top 100 ZIP packages differ mainly in size and resolution (1.2 GB vs. 4.7 GB), so the original-size set is the one to pick only if you actually need maximum resolution — otherwise the large-size package is the lighter download.