Planet Earth and the skies above are an infinite source of inspiration for fields of all forms. The magnificence and splendor of nature itself can bring any man to his knees in awe, while certain man-made creations carry just as much amazement. Here we have collected 27 photos which you will not believe exist! From extreme close-ups of the universe large and small, to encounters with creatures both furry and frightful, these pictures will leave you gasping in disbelief. However trust us, each is real!

Dust Angel Nebula

This Astronomy Picture of the Day from NASA was shared on 28 April 2016 and shows the magnificent Dust Angel Nebula. This cosmic dust clouds are roughly 300 light-years away from our galaxy and are vastly unexplored due to their ghostly visage and complex composition.

Peacock Spider

The Peacock Spider is only found in certain parts of Australia. Their glorious colors are used during mating rituals and if a female mates with a lesser male, the colors are often not carried across. They are a jumping spider but pose no threat to humans.

Great White Attacks

Amanda Brewers managed to snap this extreme close-up of a Great White Shark. Taken with a GoPro, this unbelievable image was taken during Amanda’s work concerning the conservation of shark life within South Africa.

Mono Lake

This alkaline lake formed over 750,000 years ago and thanks to its unique chemical composition serves a thriving ecosystem in the middle of a California desert.

Great Blue Hole, Belize

The Great Blue Hole can be found near Lighthouse Reef, nearby the coast of Belize. This amazing underwater sinkhole was first made popular by the great explorer Jacques Cousteau and is the home of countless forms of underwater life.

Nyiragongo Volcano, Congo

This active stratovolcano last erupted in 2016! It is extremely active and is currently a popular tourist attraction. The beauty of an active lava lake at night is a sight to behold.

Owl’s Sharing a Grub

This adorable photograph of two owls sharing a grub was snapped by Mark Bridger of South East England. These two owls are known as Athene noctua which translates to “Little Owls.” There are about 5,000 breeding pairs left in the UK.

Hoegh Osaka

The cargo of the Hoegh Osaka included roughly 1,200 luxury vehicles and vehicles for agricultural use. When this mammoth cargo ship tipped, over £30 million worth of cargo was lost. The ship was deliberately stranded on a sandbank in the position seen above, otherwise it would have capsized.

Stratospheric Photograph

The stratosphere is not that far away. Starting at roughly 33,000 feet, eager scientists and intrepid photographers often send stratospheric balloons into weightlessness, returning spectacular images as is seen above.

Fingal’s Cave

Fingal’s Cave is found on the Isle of Staffa in Scotland. It's unique geology includes some of the rarest natural formations in the world. The acoustics are eerie and reminiscent of a cathedral. In Gaelic the cave is called “An Uaimh Bhinn” meaning "the melodious cave."

Blue Grotto

In the depths of this crystal clear cavern, one can take full advantage of the spring sun and explore to darker, more undisturbed areas.

Wright to Newcastle Supercell

This supercell appeared on 18 May 2014 and travelled between Wright and Newcastle, WY. Supercells are thunderstorms with high power, deep updrafts which rotate at rapid rates. The rotation gives them the ominous appearance, as can be seen above.

Supercell

This more recent supercell appeared near Valentine, Nebraska in the USA. Tornado Alley in the USA is notorious for the formation of their supercharged, rotating super-storms. All year it gets hit by all forms of tumultuous weather!

Colliding Galaxies

The image above shows two galaxies which are so close to each other that their gravitational fields have begun causing large scale disturbances. Once they collide, it is possible that they will merge however this will only happen if they don’t have enough energy to continue moving after the collision.

Sunken Lane

Sunken Lane is an Anglo-Saxon pathway which is found in Cambridgeshire. It is over 1,000 years old and is still frequently used. The pathway carries a spellbinding beauty and holds a resonance of the ancient world which few other areas can match.

Angkor Wat

The trees of the ancient temple complex Angkor Wat are unlike anything else in the world. The entire area is basked with an ancient sense of magic and mystery.

A Photo from the ISS

The view from the International Space Station is utterly amazing. The crew aboard the ISS frequently share specific photographs from space which give us a glimpse of the spectacular view which they have every single day. Since launch, over 3000 photos have been taken. 

Tornado Alley

Tornado Alley is an area between the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains where tornados are extremely frequent. This area has the perfect combination of weather conditions to spawn tornados.

A School like No Other

Underwater photography grants us some of the most beautiful glimpses into the “alien” landscapes of the ocean. Every now and then an utterly amazing opportunity arises. The school draws close to the diver, intrigued by his presence. This gives his crew an array of images like never-before-seen.

Ruby Falls

Ruby Falls can be found within Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, and is a magnificent underground waterfall with a 145-foot drop. It is both a National Historic Landmark and a highlight of Chattanooga tourism.

Fly Geyser, Nevada

Fly Geyser is a made-man geyser which is found in Washoe County, Nevada. It was created accidentally during well drilling, causing a release of heat from a deep pool of hot rock. The amazing colors are the product of thermophilic algae which forms due to the diverse minerals in the area.

Grand Prismatic Spring

The Grand Prismatic Spring found in Yellowstone National Park holds a spectacular color range including red, orange yellow, green and blue. Each color is vivid and striking, making this spring truly stand out as the largest in the US and the third largest in the world.

The Cave of Giant Crystals

The Cave of Giant Crystals can be found connected to the Naica Mine in Mexico. At 980 feet beneath the ground you can find giant selenite crystals. The biggest one ever found measures 49 feet in length, 13 feet in diameter and weights a whopping 55 tons.

The Son Doong Cave in Vietnam

The Son Doong Cave in Vietnam was only discovered in 1991 and officially has the largest cave passage cross-section ever found. Within this massive cave containing 70 meter tall stalagmites can be found a fast-flowering subterranean river.

Water on Mars

The photo above details what science calls validation for the speculation that liquid water flows intermittently upon the surface of mars. The image was returned from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2015.

Unborn Dolphin

The image of an unborn dolphin within its mother’s womb was captured by Nat Geo Wild using a combination of cutting edge 4-D and 3D technology. It is one of a few photographs captured for their “In The Womb: Extreme Animals” series.

Los Angeles Power Grid

The aerial view of the Los Angeles Power Grid at night is a truly beautiful sight! Living lights make this metropolis shine however those on the ground are blissfully unaware of the magnificence as seen from the skies above.