Astronaut Photography

Earth Awash in Lights of the Night
Image

Earth Awash in Lights of the Night

City lights sprawl across Earth’s surface below a constant glow in the upper atmosphere.

Published Oct 23, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere

Alluvial Fan, Taklimakan Desert
Image

Alluvial Fan, Taklimakan Desert

Water from the Kunlun Mountains carves thin channels across the dry lands of Western China.

Published Oct 21, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water

Bounty of the Pacific Northwest
Image

Bounty of the Pacific Northwest

The area around the two Vancouvers is rich in natural beauty and resources.

Published Oct 14, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Human Presence Snow and Ice

Shining Light on the Upper Peninsula
Image

Shining Light on the Upper Peninsula

The upper reaches of Michigan are rich in natural resources, with more emphasis on the “nature” these days.

Published Oct 7, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water

Savai‘i and Upolu in Sunglint
Image

Savai‘i and Upolu in Sunglint

Samoa’s two largest islands, made by volcanoes, have productive reefs and fertile soils.

Published Sep 30, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water

Bou Craa Phosphate Mine, Western Sahara
Image

Bou Craa Phosphate Mine, Western Sahara

The mine is one of the few human patterns visible from space in this almost entirely uninhabited western extremity of the Sahara Desert.

Published Sep 23, 2018

Image of the Day Land Human Presence

Green River Meanders
Image

Green River Meanders

The old river has cut compelling patterns and formations into the red rocks of Utah.

Published Sep 18, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water

River of the Strait
Image

River of the Strait

Cars, commerce, and countries connect along the Detroit River.

Published Sep 2, 2018

Image of the Day Human Presence

Midsummer Sunrise, Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Image

Midsummer Sunrise, Gulf of Saint Lawrence

An astronaut captured a moment of morning beauty in a region often shrouded in clouds.

Published Aug 19, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Water

Lake Van, Turkey
Image

Lake Van, Turkey

Rich in carbonate species and salts, the basin is the largest alkaline lake in the world.

Published Aug 12, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water Human Presence

Coastal Beauty in Northern Territory
Image

Coastal Beauty in Northern Territory

This northern part of Australia is sparsely populated but rich in national park and conservation land.

Published Aug 5, 2018

Image of the Day Land Life Water

Sand Sea Margin, Namib Desert
Image

Sand Sea Margin, Namib Desert

In a land with little water, the wind does the landscaping most of the time. Ephemeral water leaves a mark, though.

Published Jul 29, 2018

Image of the Day Heat Land

An Astronaut’s View of Mount St. Helens
Image

An Astronaut’s View of Mount St. Helens

The area around the volcano has been left to recover naturally from the disaster, which it has done quite nicely, if slowly.

Published Jul 22, 2018

Image of the Day Land

Connemara National Park
Image

Connemara National Park

Sculpted by ice ages, the west coast of Ireland is rich in rugged natural beauty.

Published Jul 15, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water

Amazon Meanders in Sunglint
Image

Amazon Meanders in Sunglint

The largest river in the world is full of bends and meanders, a result of the water course snaking back and forth across the landscape over time.

Published Jul 2, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water

Fighting Back the Sea
Image

Fighting Back the Sea

Extensive engineering projects help fend off the North Sea at the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta.

Published Jun 24, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water Human Presence

Strait of Dover
Image

Strait of Dover

Ships, trains, cars, and swimmers crowd this crossing between Britain and France.

Published Jun 17, 2018

Image of the Day Land Life Water Human Presence

History and Seaports in Charleston
Image

History and Seaports in Charleston

Surrounded by meandering rivers and a marshy landscape, this South Carolina city has been a focal point for American history and for shipping.

Published Jun 10, 2018

Image of the Day Human Presence

End of the Journey for Iceberg B-15Z?
Image

End of the Journey for Iceberg B-15Z?

After an 18-year voyage, a fragment of the largest iceberg ever recorded has drifted into dangerously warm territory.

Published Jun 6, 2018

Image of the Day Water Snow and Ice

Grand Erg Oriental, Algeria
Image

Grand Erg Oriental, Algeria

A vast field of star dunes in this desert stands astride wind-carved hills in one of the driest landscapes on Earth.

Published Jun 4, 2018

Image of the Day Land

A Transformed Landscape in Germany
Image

A Transformed Landscape in Germany

Old lignite mines are reborn as lakes in the Leipzig District.

Published May 27, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water Human Presence

Mount Shasta, California
Image

Mount Shasta, California

The risk of hazards around this active volcano are well known, but it does not deter people from enjoying skiing and mountaineering on this rugged “fourteener” peak.

Published May 20, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land

The Variable Sea
Image

The Variable Sea

The eastern basin of the South Aral Sea is shallow and more prone to size fluctuations than its neighbors.

Published May 21, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water

Fishing in Green, Living in Yellow
Image

Fishing in Green, Living in Yellow

Thailand and Cambodia have distinctly different hues at night compared to nearby seas.

Published May 14, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water Human Presence

A Central American Panorama
Image

A Central American Panorama

The narrow strip of land connects continents and divides oceans, while making clouds sprout daily.

Published May 6, 2018

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Water Human Presence

Richat Structure
Image

Richat Structure

This geologic feature has captured the attention of astronauts for about as long as NASA has sent humans into orbit around Earth.

Published Apr 29, 2018

Image of the Day Land

A Clear View of Scottish Highlands
Image

A Clear View of Scottish Highlands

Astronauts had a rare chance to view a rocky landscape that is often shrouded in clouds.

Published Apr 23, 2018

Image of the Day Land Water

Seasons of Snow Cover in the West
Image

Seasons of Snow Cover in the West

A blanket of white comes and goes from the mountains and deserts of the American West.

Published Apr 16, 2018

Image of the Day Land Human Presence Snow and Ice

Medina, Saudi Arabia
Image

Medina, Saudi Arabia

The second holiest city of Islam is centered around the Prophet’s Mosque (Al-Masjid an–Nabawi).

Published Apr 9, 2018

Image of the Day Land Human Presence

The Pearl-Qatar
Image

The Pearl-Qatar

These artificial islands in Doha were built to resemble a string of pearls.

Published Apr 3, 2018

Image of the Day Land Life Water Human Presence