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Use ESASky when you want an approachable visual tour of a galaxy and its observations across missions and wavelengths. Use the MAST Portal when you need precise filtering, previews, footprints and downloadable products. For Hubble-only work, follow the Hubble Legacy Archive workflow. Start with a galaxy name or sky coordinates, inspect previews and metadata, then download only the products that answer your question. The result may be a calibrated image, a spectrum or another scientific data product rather than a ready-made colour photograph.
Choose the archive that matches your goal
Public astronomy archives are collections of observations, not galleries containing one finished picture of every galaxy. A single target can have data from several telescopes, instruments and wavelength bands. The best starting point depends on whether you are browsing visually, conducting a targeted search or looking specifically for Hubble observations.
| Reader need | Best starting point | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| Browse a sky region and compare missions or wavelengths | ESASky | Browser-based all-sky exploration, observation footprints and cross-wavelength comparisons. The documented workflow does not require a login for data access. |
| Search holdings with detailed filters, previews and retrieval tools | MAST Portal | Cross-mission search, target-name lookup, mission, instrument and product-type filters, result previews, AstroView footprint overlays and a download basket. |
| Search JWST science and ancillary observations | JWST Mission Search | A JWST-specific interface with its own selection and retrieval controls, documented alongside the cross-mission MAST Portal. |
| Browse Hubble observations for an object or coordinate | Hubble Legacy Archive | Object and coordinate search, image previews, a sky-footprint view, interactive inspection and FITS retrieval. |
ESASky reported more than one million astronomical observations collected since 1978 as of March 2018. That is a historical platform figure, not a current count and not a count of galaxies, so do not use it to estimate present-day holdings.
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How do I find images of a galaxy in a public archive?
- Gather an identifier. Enter the galaxy’s catalogue name, common name or accurate right-ascension and declination. The Hubble Legacy Archive documentation uses M 100 as an example of a name search. Coordinates are useful when a nickname has several spellings or when you are investigating an unnamed source.
- Run a broad search first. In MAST, begin with the target-name search, then narrow the result by mission, instrument and product type. In ESASky, position the map on the target or enter the coordinates to see which missions have observations in that region.
- Preview before selecting files. Open the result preview, not just the filename. Hubble’s images tab provides browser previews, while MAST supplies previews and an AstroView panel that places matched observation footprints on the sky. A footprint shows where the detector looked; it does not by itself prove that the galaxy is centred in the frame.
- Read the observation metadata. Record the telescope or mission, instrument, detector, filter or grism, exposure information, observation date, product level and data-availability status. These fields tell you whether you found an image, spectrum, catalogue, calibration file or another product.
- Check the field around the target. Zoom out far enough to identify nearby pointings, overlapping visits and companion galaxies. Overlapping footprints can provide different filters or epochs even when the archive lists them as separate observations.
- Compare wavelengths when it serves the question. ESASky is designed to show the same sky region across missions and wavelength ranges without requiring you to know each mission’s archive structure. A source that is bright in ultraviolet, optical, infrared or X-ray data can look radically different in each view.
- Place the required products in a retrieval basket. Select only the calibrated science files, previews or ancillary products you actually need. MAST supports a download basket; JWST Mission Search has separate retrieval controls. For a large set, use the documented script or API method instead of initiating dozens of individual browser downloads.
A search returning no result means that the chosen archive, name or coordinate query found nothing under those parameters. It does not establish that the galaxy has never been observed: another mission, archive or coordinate interpretation may contain data.
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What kind of record did you find?
Archive searches often return several products for one visit. Treat the record as a scientific observation until its metadata says otherwise.
| Record or product | What it represents | What to check before downloading |
|---|---|---|
| Image or detector exposure | Pixel data measuring intensity in a filter or detector band | Filter, exposure time, detector, calibration level, orientation and whether the file is a preview or science product |
| Spectrum | Intensity distributed by wavelength along a slit, fibre or extracted aperture | Instrument mode, wavelength range, extraction status and whether you need a two-dimensional exposure or one-dimensional spectrum |
| Catalogue or table | Measured positions, fluxes, source classifications or other derived values | Column definitions, units, coordinate system and the processing that produced the measurements |
| Calibration or ancillary file | Reference data, detector corrections, observing context or support information | Which science product requires it and whether the archive pipeline already applied the correction |
| Preview or rendered graphic | A convenient display generated for browsing | Pixel scale, stretch, colour mapping and whether it is suitable for quantitative analysis; a preview is not necessarily the full-resolution data |
The word “image” in a search result does not guarantee a conventional colour picture. Astronomical cameras usually record separate monochromatic exposures, and many records are spectra or tables. Use the instrument, filter and product-type metadata to decide what you have.
Exploring a galaxy in ESASky
ESASky is the most approachable route when your first question is visual: which missions observed this region, and how does the galaxy change across wavelengths? Its map-based design lets you inspect a target without learning the internal naming conventions of every mission.
Set the sky position
Search by the galaxy name when the object is well known. If the name is ambiguous, use coordinates from a trusted catalogue and set a search radius that covers the galaxy and its immediate surroundings. A small radius reduces unrelated observations; a wider radius reveals nearby pointings and survey coverage.
Inspect observations and footprints
Use the map to see which observations overlap the target. Footprints identify detector coverage and can expose gaps: a pointing may pass close to the galaxy while leaving its nucleus outside the useful pixels. Select an observation to open its preview and metadata rather than judging coverage from the map symbol alone.
Move through wavelength bands
Compare the same position in the wavelength ranges available for that field. Ultraviolet views can emphasise young stars, optical data can trace stellar structure and dust lanes, and infrared observations can reveal cooler dust or obscured regions. These are interpretive possibilities, not guarantees for every galaxy; actual coverage and sensitivity vary by target and mission.
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Retrieve the useful products
After checking the preview, choose the archive product offered for download. ESASky can expose science-ready products from different missions, but the available format and processing level depend on the mission. Keep the observation identifier and metadata with every downloaded file so that you can distinguish similarly named exposures later.
Searching and downloading through MAST
MAST is preferable when you already know the constraints that matter: a mission, instrument, filter, product type, observation date or target position. Its cross-mission search lets one query lead to Hubble, Webb and other holdings where coverage exists.
Refine a target-name search
- Enter the target name in the MAST Portal search.
- Review the returned coordinates and target interpretations; a catalogue name can resolve to more than one position.
- Apply mission and instrument filters to remove unrelated observations.
- Set the product-type filter so that images, spectra, catalogues or calibration products are not mixed accidentally.
- Use the result preview and AstroView footprint overlay to verify that the observation intersects the galaxy.
Read the result before adding it to the basket
Open the record details and note the filter or disperser, detector, exposure and product level. Distinguish a preview rendition from the science file that contains the original pixel values. If several pipeline products represent one visit, select the level appropriate to your purpose rather than downloading every derivative.
Retrieve anonymously or in batches
Public MAST data may be retrieved anonymously when the record is available for public release. Add selected files to the download basket and use the portal’s retrieval action. For large baskets, the official documentation describes scripts and API methods that can resume or automate transfers more reliably than a browser session.
Use JWST Mission Search for JWST-specific work
JWST Mission Search is dedicated to JWST science and ancillary data. Its selection and retrieval controls are separate from the general cross-mission view, so follow the fields shown there when you need JWST-only filtering. JWST archive products are reprocessed with quarterly pipeline builds; the same observation can therefore appear with a newer product version later. Save the product version and retrieval date with your analysis.
Can I download Hubble or Webb data?
Yes, when the archive record is publicly released. Hubble and Webb observations can include raw exposures, calibrated products, previews and supporting files. Public access is not identical to immediate access: an observation may remain in an exclusive or proprietary period, and its status is shown on the archive record. Respect that status instead of attempting to bypass it.
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Hubble Legacy Archive workflow
- Open the Hubble archive search and enter the object’s name or coordinates.
- Open the images tab to inspect available previews.
- Switch to the footprints view to verify where each observation lies relative to the galaxy.
- Open the interactive display and metadata for the visit, filter and detector.
- Choose the FITS download or other offered product only after confirming that it is the observation type you need.
The Hubble interface can show a visually convenient rendering while the downloadable FITS file contains the scientific pixel data. Keep both if you need a quick reference image and a reproducible analysis input.
Webb availability and processing
ESA’s image-processing guidance states that raw exposures from JWST science programmes are available for the scientific community and the public to download. “Raw” means detector-level data that may require calibration; it is not synonymous with a finished press image. Webb products can change as quarterly pipeline builds reprocess observations, so check the archive’s current status and version each time you start a new analysis.
What do I do with a FITS file?
FITS (Flexible Image Transport System) is a standard astronomical format used for images, spectra, tables and metadata. It preserves numerical measurements and header information that ordinary graphics formats usually discard. A FITS file may contain one image, several extensions or a table rather than a single viewable picture.
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Choose a viewer or converter
Use an astronomy-aware FITS viewer to inspect the header, extensions, coordinates and pixel values. ESA points to FITS Liberator for converting FITS images into files that standard graphics software can open. Conversion is useful for presentation, but retain the original FITS file for analysis because a rendered PNG or JPEG normally changes the numeric representation.
Inspect the header first
- Confirm the object coordinates and coordinate system.
- Identify the instrument, detector, filter or spectral setup.
- Read the units and scaling keywords before interpreting pixel values.
- Check whether the file is raw, calibrated, drizzled, combined or otherwise derived.
- Look for quality flags, masks and multiple extensions.
Display an image without mistaking the stretch for data
FITS values can span a range far wider than a monitor can display. A viewer applies a contrast stretch, often with adjustable minimum and maximum values. Changing that stretch can reveal faint structure or hide saturated cores without changing the underlying data. Record the stretch settings when you export a figure, and never compare apparent brightness between two screenshots unless their scaling and calibration are known to match.
Convert for ordinary graphics software
- Open the FITS file in the astronomy viewer and select the image extension containing the science data.
- Apply a documented stretch suited to the dynamic range.
- Export a lossless image for further annotation, or use the FITS converter recommended in the archive guidance.
- Keep the original FITS file, header and export settings together.
Some striking multi-colour astronomy pictures are composites made by assigning different monochromatic filters to colour channels. A single FITS file generally does not contain that finished colour mapping; producing one requires several compatible exposures and a deliberate compositing method.
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Comparing missions and wavelengths responsibly
Different wavelengths answer different physical questions, and no archive guarantees complete coverage for every galaxy. Before comparing images, check that the fields overlap, the angular resolution is appropriate and the observations are close enough in time for your question. A changing source, moving foreground object or variable background can make images taken years apart look different for reasons unrelated to wavelength.
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Common problems and fixes
The name search returns nothing
- Try the object’s catalogue designation or precise coordinates.
- Increase the search radius slightly to account for coordinate rounding.
- Search a different archive or mission; holdings are not identical.
- Check whether the target is recorded under a field or survey name instead of its popular name.
There are too many results
- Filter by mission, instrument and product type before downloading.
- Use the footprint overlay to remove observations that miss the galaxy.
- Limit the date range or select the filter relevant to your scientific question.
- Choose one calibrated product per visit first, then add ancillary files only when needed.
The preview is not a colour photograph
Confirm whether the record is a monochromatic exposure, spectrum or table. Search for multiple filters if you need a colour composite, and do not treat a rendered preview as evidence that the archive lacks numerical image data.
The target is near the edge of the frame
Open the footprint and detector preview, then inspect overlapping visits. Edge placement can reduce usable area and introduce distortion or vignetting; another pointing may provide cleaner coverage.
The download is unavailable
Read the record’s proprietary or public-status field. A proprietary observation cannot be downloaded publicly until its access period ends. If the record is public but a browser transfer fails, reduce the basket, retry from the archive’s retrieval control or use the documented script/API route.
The file opens as gibberish in a photo editor
That is expected for FITS. Open it with a FITS-capable viewer or convert it to a standard graphics format. Preserve the original file and header rather than renaming it to a common image extension.
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The same JWST observation has a different product later
Check the pipeline-build and product-version fields. Quarterly JWST reprocessing can replace or add products without changing the underlying observation. Record which version you used so another researcher can reproduce the result.
Build a reproducible archive trail
For every downloaded file, save the archive name, target coordinates, observation or dataset identifier, mission, instrument, filter, product level, file name, access status, product version and download date. Keep the original FITS file unchanged and store exported graphics in a separate folder. A short text or spreadsheet log is enough to explain why each file was selected.
When publishing a figure, describe the wavelength or filter, the observation date, the processing level and the display stretch. If you combine filters, state which exposure supplied each colour channel and whether the channels were aligned or resampled. This information prevents a visually attractive image from being mistaken for a raw or single-band observation.
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Archives provide access to observations and the metadata needed to interpret them; they do not automatically answer a scientific question. A bright feature may be an artefact, a cosmic ray, saturation or a foreground object. A missing feature may reflect limited sensitivity, a detector gap, a filter choice or absent coverage. Use the preview to navigate, then use the calibrated product, header and quality information for any measurement.
Interfaces, holdings and release states change. The documented archive pages are the authority for current buttons, file versions and access rules, while the workflow above remains useful: identify the target, verify the footprint, inspect metadata, preview, select the right product and preserve the provenance of every download.
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