Though most lives have been shaken by the global pandemic, documenting the year of COVID-19 has been a particular challenge for photographers, hindering travel and making work more dangerous for them and their subjects.

But for Kurt Mutchler, National Geographic’s head science photo editor, 2020 also presented a unique opportunity: to showcase the extraordinary science photography for which National Geographic is known, while telling the story of a global community that’s facing incredible adversity—yet keeps reaching for the stars.

As is so often the case in photography, some of Mutchler’s favorite science images this year are products of excellent timing: Consider how tiny the International Space Station appears before the enormous, glowing disk of the sun. In other standout images, our sense