The universe, as seen by art and science – in pictures

A new Phaidon photobook, Universe, compiles visions of space from across history, as seen by astronomers, astronauts, painters and propagandists

• Read astronomer and author Dr Stuart Clark’s review of Universe

Main image: saturn’s rings Photograph: Picture credit: Nasa/JPL

  • Pismis 24 IN NCG 6357 Nasa, ESA and IAA

    This image looks like it was created in an artist’s imagination, but it was captured by the Hubble space telescope. The lower part is the vast nebula of gas and dust; the upper half shows the cluster of stars known as Pismis 24.
    The star cluster Pismis 24

  • Several Circles, Wassily Kandinsky

    While a purely abstract arrangement of circles, this 1926 canvas by the Russian artist is full of suggestions of the cosmos. Kandinsky uses colour, mass and pattern to convey a calm dynamic amid the uniformity of his circles – a shape he felt opened up a fourth dimension – one of spirituality.
    Several Circles, 1926, Wassily Kandinsky, oil on canvas

  • Unravelling Saturn’s rings

    Using data from the Cassini spacecraft, this image has been coloured to show the size of the particles that make up Saturn’s rings. For example, purple areas are made up of particles larger than 5cm in diameter.
    Saturn's rings

  • Fallen Astronaut, Paul van Hoeydonck

    This tiny statue and plaque were left on the moon by Apollo 15 commander, David Scott, without the knowledge of Nasa. The idea was initiated by Belgian artist Van Hoeydonck. Scott agreed to take the aluminium figure and added a memorial plaque with the names of the six Soviet cosmonauts and eight US astronauts who had died during the space race. Due to the moon’s lack of atmosphere, the figure should rest undisturbed for as long as the moon survives.
    Fallen Astronaut by Paul van Hoeydonck

  • Hyperborea, 01, Dan Holdsworth

    This 2006 image by British photographer Holdsworth is part of a series on the northern lights. Here, the greenish light bathes the Icelandic atmosphere in an eerie, supernatural glow; the gold thread is caused by car headlights during the long exposure. These night-time displays occur at the edge of the atmosphere, where it gradually merges with the vacuum of outer space
    Hyperborea, 01, Dan Holdsworth

  • Dunes on Mars, Nasa

    This picture was taken on 24 January 2014 by the HiRISE camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The image shows a 1.5km section of crater. Crests of dunes catch the light as the sun rises on a desert scene streaked with early winter frost – the temperature has barely risen above the night-time low of -100C. Nasa, 2014.
    Dunes on Mars, NASA

  • Trip To The Moon, 1969, Hammond Inc

    Trip To The Moon, 1969, Hammond Inc.

  • NGC 5128, Centaurus A, 2009

    NGC 5128, Centaurus A, 2009

  • Earthrise, 1968, William Anders

    Earthrise, 1968, William Anders

  • Infinity Mirrored Room – The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, 2013, Yayoi Kusama

    Infinity Mirrored Room – The Souls of Millions of Light Years Away, 2013, Yayoi Kusama

  • Southern Lights, 2005

    Southern Lights, 2005

  • Aurora Borealis as observed March 1, 1872, at 9.25pm, 1881, Étienne Léopold Trouvelot

    Aurora Borealis as observed March 1, 1872, at 9H. 25M. P.M., 1881, Étienne Léopold Trouvelot

  • Astronaut Bruce McCandless on untethered spacewalk, 1984

    Astronaut Bruce McCandless on Untethered Spacewalk, 1984

  • The Creation of The World and The Expulsion From Paradise, 1445, Giovanni Di Paolo

    The Creation of The World and The Expulsion From Paradise, 1445, Giovanni Di Paolo

  • Soviet Space program, propaganda poster

    “Soviet man you can be be proud: you opened the road to stars from Earth”.
    Soviet Space program, propaganda poster “Soviet man you can be be proud: you opened the road to stars from Earth”.
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