Ken Barrs 1981 Cover Art ToThe Last Defender Of Camelot, ByRoger Zelazny

Ken Barr’s 1981 cover art to The Last Defender of Camelot, by Roger Zelazny

Scary Space: New Halloween Poster Treats from NASA

Halloween is just around the corner. Need some chilling décor? We’ve got you – and your walls – covered with three new Galaxy of Horrors posters that showcase some of the most terrifying topics in the universe.

Gamma Ray Ghouls

In the depths of the universe, the cores of two collapsed stars violently merge to release a burst of the deadliest and most powerful form of light, known as gamma rays. These beams of doom are unleashed upon their unfortunate surroundings, shining a billion trillion times brighter than the Sun for up to 30 terrifying seconds. No spaceship will shield you from their blinding destruction!

Galactic Graveyard

The chillingly haunted galaxy called MACS 2129-1 mysteriously stopped making stars only a few billion years after the Big Bang. It became a cosmic cemetery, illuminated by the red glow of decaying stars. Dare to enter and you might encounter the frightening corpses of exoplanets or the final death throes of once-mighty stars.

Dark Matter

Something strange and mysterious creeps throughout the cosmos. Scientists call it dark matter. It is scattered in an intricate web that forms the skeleton of our universe. Dark matter is invisible, only revealing its presence by pushing and pulling on objects we can see. NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will investigate its secrets. What will it find?

Download the full set in English and Spanish here.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

Attila Hejja

Last day to sign up for my sci-fi art newsletter before the next free issue’s out, featuring the hidden meanings within Michael Whelan covers! Sign up here.

If you want a sneak preview: The tree branches in the first image above are shaped like blood vessels, and the cooling towers in the last image are symbolic of mushroom clouds.

ALONE. By Christopher Scoles.

Concept art by Ron Cobb for a proposed HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY series. 1982.