How to play
Every day there are three space photos, ordered from easy to hard. Each photo comes with four possible names. Tap the one you think is right.
A wrong pick is crossed out and you keep going until you find the right one. Once you get it, the game shows the full name of the object and who took the picture. Then you move on to the next photo.
You can also use the number keys 1 to 4 to pick an answer and Enter to go to the next photo.
How scoring works
A perfect day is worth 1,000 points. The sooner you find the right name, the more points the photo is worth.
| Your pick | Photo 1 | Photo 2 | Photo 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st try | 333 | 333 | 334 |
| 2nd try | 167 | 167 | 167 |
| 3rd try | 83 | 83 | 84 |
| 4th try | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Where the photos come from
Every photo is a real image from a space agency archive. Most come from NASA, whose images are in the public domain. Others come from ESA/Hubble and ESA/Webb, which publish their images under a CC BY 4.0 license. That license asks for credit, so the credit line appears under each photo once you have answered it.
Many pictures of nebulae and galaxies are built from several exposures taken through different filters. The colors are chosen to show detail that the eye could not see on its own.
FAQ
When do the new photos appear?
Three new photos appear every day at midnight Central Standard Time, which is UTC-6 all year. That is 06:00 UTC. The countdown on the result screen shows how long is left.
Can I play past days?
Yes. Every earlier day is in the list under the game. Pick any day and play it for the same score. Earlier days do not change today’s result.
Is Guess the Space Photo free?
Yes. It is free, with no account and no sign-up. Your scores are saved in your own browser.
Are these real photos?
Yes. Every picture is a real image from a NASA, ESA/Hubble or ESA/Webb archive. Some are processed from raw telescope data, and the credit line says who made each one.
Why does the game show a credit after each photo?
NASA images are in the public domain, but the agencies ask for credit. ESA/Hubble and ESA/Webb images are licensed CC BY 4.0, which requires credit. The line under each answer names the source and links to the original page.