Astronomy images repository

The most advanced open source catalog of DSO objects images and astronomy images. An initiative of the Celestialy project.

A curated collection of astronomical images organized by object type and resolution. Intended for use in educational, outreach, visualization, and research projects.

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🌌 Table of contents

• Astronomy images repository

  • 🌌 Table of contents

  • 📂 Folder Structure Overview

  • 🧭 Image Categories

  • 📄 JSON Metadata Structure (*_images.json)

    • JSON Structure Overview
    • images[] Entry Fields
    • Example

  • 🌐 How to Request an Asset (via jsDelivr CDN)

    • 🔗 Base URL Format

    • 🧪 Examples

      • 🌀 Deep Sky Object (e.g. NGC 1976, 1280x900)
      • 🌙 Moon Phase image
      • 🌌 Constellation Chart (e.g. Orion)
      • 🔧 Fallback (e.g. if an image is missing)

  • 🏷️ Usage Guidelines

  • 📚 Credits & Sources

  • ⚖️ License

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📂 Folder Structure Overview

images/
├── constellations/
│   ├── jpg/   → <IAU_code>.jpg  
│   └── pdf/   → <IAU_code>.pdf  
├── dso/                     # Deep Sky Objects
│   ├── ic/                  # Index Catalogue
│   │   └── <resolution>/
│   ├── messier/             # Messier Catalogue
│   │   └── <resolution>/
│   └── ngc/                 # New General Catalogue
│       └── <resolution>/
├── moon/                    # Lunar images and visualizations
├── not_available/           # Fallback placeholder images
│   ├── fallback_1280x900.jpg
│   ├── fallback_1920x1280.jpg
│   ├── fallback_500x300.jpg
│   └── fallback_900x900_inverted.jpg

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🧭 Image Categories

• Constellations JPEG and PDF sky charts named using their official IAU codes.

• DSO (Deep Sky Objects) Images from the IC, Messier, and NGC catalogs, each available in three resolutions: 500x300, 1280x900, and 1920x1280. Each object includes a *_images.json file with images metadata, and available files for the selected object.

• Moon High-resolution lunar images and NASA moon phase images in order.

• Not Available Fallback images used when an asset is missing.

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📄 JSON Metadata Structure (*_images.json)

Each Deep Sky Object image folder includes a metadata file named like ngc_1976_images.json. This file describes the object and its associated image(s).

JSON Structure Overview

Field	Type	Description
name	string	Full object name (e.g., "NGC1976")
id	number	Object catalog number (e.g., 1976)
images	array	List of image entries (see subfields below)

images[] Entry Fields

Field	Type	Description
filename	string	File name of the image (e.g., "ngc_1976_default.jpg")
description	string	Short image description or caption
origin_url	string	Source or reference URL for the image
is_default	boolean	Indicates if this image is the default/primary for the object (true/false)

Example

{
  "name": "NGC1976",
  "id": 1976,
  "images": [
    {
      "filename": "ngc_1976_default.jpg",
      "description": "HST image of NGC 1976, also known as M42, the Orion Nebula",
      "origin_url": "https://cseligman.com/text/atlas/ngc19a.htm#1976",
      "is_default": true
    }
  ]
}

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🌐 How to Request an Asset (via jsDelivr CDN)

You can load any asset directly from this repository using jsDelivr's CDN. Replace <path> with the relative file path from the images/ folder.

🔗 Base URL Format

https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/CelestialyXYZ/Astronomy-images@master/images/<path>

🧪 Examples

🌀 Deep Sky Object (e.g. NGC 1976, 1280x900)

Image:

https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/CelestialyXYZ/Astronomy-images@master/images/dso/ngc/1280x900/ngc_1976_default.jpg

Metadata JSON:

https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/CelestialyXYZ/Astronomy-images@master/images/dso/ngc/1280x900/ngc_1976_images.json

🌙 Moon Phase image

https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/CelestialyXYZ/Astronomy-images@master/images/moon/moon_100.jpg

🌌 Constellation Chart (e.g. Orion)

JPG:

https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/CelestialyXYZ/Astronomy-images@master/images/constellations/jpg/Ori.jpg

PDF:

https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/CelestialyXYZ/Astronomy-images@master/images/constellations/pdf/Ori.pdf

🔧 Fallback (e.g. if an image is missing)

https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/CelestialyXYZ/Astronomy-images@master/images/not_available/fallback_1280x900.jpg

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🏷️ Usage Guidelines

These assets may be used for:

• Astronomy education and classroom materials
• Visual aids in public talks or planetarium shows
• Astronomy-related software and applications
• Celestialy's own digital products

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📚 Credits & Sources

• Courtney Seligman NGC & DSO data

• NASA Scientific Visualization Studio Moon phase animations

• Wikipedia Messier catalog

• IAU / ESO Archive Constellation charts

• CelestialyXYZ / Astronomy-images Repo Image hosting & structure: https://github.com/CelestialyXYZ/Astronomy-images

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⚖️ License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) You are free to:

• Share — copy and redistribute the material
• Adapt — remix and build upon the material

Under the following terms:

• Attribution — You must credit the original sources listed above and this repository.
• NonCommercial — No commercial use permitted.

🔗 Read the full license