Pexels
Pexels

NASA is truly bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase, “Out of this world.” The space agency is educating a whole new generation of explorers—through GIFs!

Last week, NASA launched an official Giphy account, along with a Pinterest account, to connect space and social media. In the press release, they stated that the GIFs “can be used to create or share animated GIFs to express a reaction, provide a visual explanation, or even make digital art.” Thanks to Twitter’s partnership with Giphy, users can quickly find the right science-themed GIF in seconds.

Giphy offers almost 500 choices, including images of Earth and other planets, black holes, space travel, science diagrams, rocket launches, funny reactions, and more. Many GIFs also have links for further exploration. On Pinterest, users can find boards like “Earth Right Now,” “Journey to Mars,” “Hubble Space Telescope,” and “Dark Matter,” among others. By using social media to spark creativity, NASA aims to teach people about the Universe and what lies beyond.

Take a look at some of the best GIFs below:

An Aerial View of the Grand Canyon

A Black Hole

A Shimmering View of Earth

A Sun Arching Eruption

A Stunning Look at the Aurora Borealis

Astronauts Having Fun During A Moon Landing

What’s your favorite GIF on NASA’s social media channels? Sound off in the comments section below!