In celebration of the Hubble Space Telescope’s 35 years in Earth orbit, NASA is releasing today an assortment of compelling images recently take by Hubble, stretching from the planet Mars to spectacular star forming regions, to a magnificent neighboring galaxy. After over three decades of perusing the restless universe, Hubble remains a household word as the most well-recognized telescope in scientific history. The Hubble mission is a glowing success story of America’s technological prowess and unyielding scientific curiosity, and a reiteration of our nation’s pioneering spirit.

Perched above Earth’s blurry atmosphere, Hubble’s crystal-clear views have been nothing less than transformative for the public’s perception of the cosmos. Through its evocative imagery, Hubble has made astronomy relevant, engaging, and accessible for people of all ages. Among its long list of breakthroughs: Hubble’s deep field images unveiled myriad galaxies dating back to the early universe. The telescope also allowed scientists to precisely measure the universe’s expansion, find that supermassive black holes are common among galaxies, and make the first measurement of the atmospheres of extrasolar planets. Hubble also contributed to the discovery of dark energy, which is accelerating the expansion of universe, leading to the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.