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Universe

About the Universe
Photo: Composite of spiral-shaped Messier 81 galaxy

Galaxies

What's in a galaxy?

Go Deep
Photo: View of the Milky Way's oldest known planet

Universe Origins

From marble to macrocosm

Learn More
Photo: Quintuplet star cluster

Stars

They're great balls of fire.

See the Light

Did You Know?

Across the Universe

Earth orbits the sun at a distance of about 93 million miles (150 million kilometers). The distance is known as an astronomical unit (AU) and is the scale that scientists use to measure distances across the universe.

News: Latest Space Stories

VIDEO: Space Station Sees Hurricane
PHOTO IN THE NEWS: Black Hole Seen in Closest Look Ever
SPACE PHOTOS THIS WEEK: Thousand-Ruby Galaxy, More
See More Space News
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Related Features
Photo: Artful rearrangement of the solar system

Interactive: Solar System

Explore the solar system like never before.

Get Started
Photo: Eta Carinae

Article: The Cataclysmic Death of Stars

Once a second somewhere in the universe a star explodes with the brilliance of an entire galaxy. In recent years scientists have begun to understand how these doomed suns die.

Read More
Photo: Saturn and its rings

Photo Gallery: Saturn

Saturn's rings have bewitched sky watchers since Galileo first observed them in 1610. See why the second-largest planet in our solar system is also arguably the most beautiful.

See the Photos

Space Topics

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Photo: Reflection on Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park

Photo Contest

Share your shots and you could win a trip to the Grand Canyon!
Photo: Puerto Escondido

Interactive Map

Visit Mexico with this interactive map.

Support Conservation
Photo: Two penguins

Help conserve the world's natural resources.

Learn More

The Green Guide
Photo: Green flower

Get tips for helping the environment.

Visit The Green Guide

National Geographic Kids

Image: A cross-section of the human head

Play games, watch videos, and much more in this just-for-kids site.

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