Nasa has paid tribute to prince by sending out a beautiful space image lit up in the singer’s characteristic purple.

The agency tweeted out a stunning picture of the Crab Nebula, lit up in purple, in tribute to the singer.

Prince died at just 57 in his Paisley Park recording studio this week. Tributes have come from across the world of music and the arts, celebrating a singer and musician who was among the best-selling artists of all time.

World pays tribute to Prince Show all 20 1 /20 World pays tribute to Prince World pays tribute to Prince Messages left by fans outside the Paisley Park residential compound of music legend Prince in Minneapolis, Minnesota Getty Images World pays tribute to Prince Guests dance to Prince music as a slide show flashes images of the artist above the stage during a memorial dance party at the First Avenue nightclub in Minneapolis, Minnesota Getty Images World pays tribute to Prince Nasa released the image of a purple-hued nebula to mark the passing of music icon Prince. They commented: "A purple nebula, in honor of Prince, who passed away today." One online commenter remarked: "Can anyone see #Prince playing his guitar in this #NBULA" Rex World pays tribute to Prince A Hollywood sign is illuminated in purple in memory of the late musician Prince in Los Angeles Getty Images World pays tribute to Prince A view of the Prince tribute at Times Square Hard Rock Cafe in New York Getty Images World pays tribute to Prince Candles lit in remembrance to Prince are seen around his star outside the Warner Theatre in Washington Getty Images World pays tribute to Prince Lorraine Womble reacts during a gathering in Leimert Park in memory of musician Prince Getty Images World pays tribute to Prince A Prince memorial outside the First Avenue club where music legend Prince had his first breakthrough at the start of his musical career in Minneapolis, Minnesota Getty Images World pays tribute to Prince Julya Baer, 30, (R) cries at a vigil to celebrate the life and music of deceased musician Prince in Los Angeles World pays tribute to Prince Atribute to Prince at the Ritzy cinema in Brixton, London PA World pays tribute to Prince A sign in remembrance to Prince is seen outside the Warner Theatre in Washington Getty Images World pays tribute to Prince Fans lay flowers and memorials outside First Avenue, the nightclub where U.S. music superstar Prince got his start in Minneapolis, Minnesota Reuters World pays tribute to Prince The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is lit up in the color purple in New Orleans, to honor pop legend Prince AP World pays tribute to Prince A woman holding a large poster of Prince arrives to a gathering in Leimert Park in memory of musician Prince, in Los Angeles Getty Images World pays tribute to Prince Kenneth Beavers, 49, holds a candle at a vigil to celebrate the life and music of deceased musician Prince in Los Angeles Reuters World pays tribute to Prince Loretta Thomas, 45, (L) and Deshone, 50, listen to a Prince song at a vigil to celebrate the life and music of deceased musician Prince in Los Angeles World pays tribute to Prince A man writes on a makeshift memorial as fans gather at Harlem's Apollo Theater to celebrate the life of deceased musician Prince in the Manhattan borough of New York Reuters World pays tribute to Prince A makeshift memorial is seen as fans gather at Harlem's Apollo Theater to celebrate the life of deceased musician Prince in the Manhattan borough of New York Reuters World pays tribute to Prince Sheila Clayton of St Paul, Minnesota (L) hugs an unidentified friend outside of Paisley Park, the home and studio of US musician Prince, in Chanhassen, Minnesota (EPA) EPA World pays tribute to Prince People watch as City Hall is illuminated in purple in remembrance of the late singer Prince in Downtown Los Angeles Reuters

Nasa’s tribute was posted alongside a message reading “A purple nebula, in honour of prince, who passed away today”. The message received tens of thousands of retweets, becoming probably the most shared of the tributes paid to the singer after his death.

The picture is an image of the Crab Nebula, made up by combining images from Nasa’s own Hubble Space Telescope and the European Space Agency’s Herschel Space Observatory.