Expand your horizons with royalty-free sky and space images

Sky and space images show the earth’s upper and outer atmosphere, from the blue sky above our heads to the deep dark sky of outer space. Such images reflect the natural beauty of the sky at every time of day and night. During our waking hours, we have the breathtaking orange sunrise of morning, the brightness of a midday sun, and the soothing pastel pink of sunset. Throughout the night, we have a dark sky, sometimes filled with stars, sometimes brightened by an impressive full moon. Sky images may depict various weather patterns. This includes an overcast sky, when dark and dramatic rain clouds block out the sun, and, if one is lucky, a post-rain sky with a great rainbow arcing through the blue. Space images give viewers a glimpse of the further reaches of our universe. Shots of space stars may show a starfield or the Milky Way galaxy. Space images may include the various planets of our solar system, including satellite shots or 3D renderings of the earth from space.

If you have ever woken up, looked outside, and felt awe, wonder, or excitement at the sight of the sky, then you know what it’s like to experience the sky’s beauty firsthand. But did you know that there are actually psychological explanations for the sky’s effects on your mood? Different sorts of skies have different positive effects. Color psychologists have found that the color blue reduces the viewer’s pulse rate, resulting in a sense of calm. No wonder blue skies are associated with positive feelings! The color orange, which we often see in a rich sunrise or sunset image, can stir up a sense of excitement and warmth. Now when we put blue and orange together, we get a pair of powerful complementary colors. This means that the two are opposite one another on the color wheel. Viewing the two together creates a sense of pleasing tension, a bit like watching a film that keeps us on the edge of our seats.

Popular sky images include: Blue sky: A blue sky is often interpreted as a sign that today is going to be a good day. Many famous song lyrics reflect this, from the line, “I see skies of blue,” in Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” to “Blue skies smilin’ at me,” in Willie Nelson’s aptly named tune “Blue Skies.” Cloudy sky: Photos of cloudy skies can offer dramatic views of nature. Purple thunderclouds, an electric orange sky, a storm on the horizon. There is even beauty in a cold, gray, overcast sky, as it can stir the desire to cozy up inside beside a glowing fire. Sunset sky: Each day the sun sets and paints the sky anew with watercolor washes of salmon pink and sherbet orange. No wonder so many painters have attempted to recreate their own versions of this daily masterpiece. Skyline: By definition, a skyline shows the outline of land or buildings defined against the sky. When we look at a shot of a city’s tallest towers touching the sky, we can see how fitting it is that we call those manmade behemoths “skyscrapers.”

Popular space images include: Outer space: These images may show the planets of our solar system, from the rings of Saturn to the fiery reds of Mars, the bright blues of Neptune to the rich gold of Venus. Outer space shots are often 3D renderings or graphics. Stars in space: An illustrated vector with bright white stars and cartoon rocket ships, a 3D depiction of a purple nebula, a galaxy of stars spiraling over the sea, all of this and much more can be seen by searching “stars in space” on Shutterstock. Earth from space: As beings that live on the surface of the earth with our feet on the ground, it can be easy to forget that we are standing on a planet that is moving through the depths of space. Images of the earth taken from space remind us of the mystery and majesty of this giant rock we call home.

With Shutterstock’s powerful search engine, you won’t have to search the cosmos to find the perfect sky or space image. Simply type keywords such as “starry sky” into the search bar and explore the myriad results. To narrow your results, utilize Shutterstock’s available filter options. If you know that you want an illustrated image, for example, select “Illustrations” from the “All images” dropdown menu. If you need your image to blend in seamlessly with the color palette of your website, select your chosen hue from the “Color” filter. To find images that feature people enjoying that starry sky, click the “With people” option from the “People” filter. Using the filters, you can also further specify the age, gender, and number of people you would like to see in your shot.