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Lava from the volcanic eruption on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula lights up clouds from below.
Explosive activity has propelled ash and gas high into the air over the Caribbean islands of Saint Vincent and Barbados.
Published Apr 12, 2021
The category three cyclone made a rare landfall in Western Australia, causing significant damage to coastal towns.
Published Apr 12, 2021Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Water Severe Storms Human Presence
Springtime ocean conditions promote North Atlantic blooms, but you wouldn't know that from looking with human eyes.
Published Apr 12, 2021
An astronaut captured this view of three basins—Tahoe, Walker, and Mono—straddling two different climates.
Published Apr 11, 2021
The Paraguaná Peninsula is rich with sandy beaches and interesting topography.
Published Apr 10, 2021
A new artificial island near Malé could be a destination for people trying to escape rising waters on lower-lying islands.
Published Apr 9, 2021
Annual floods play an important role in the floodplain’s ecosystem, even as the water’s highs and lows have been moderated in recent decades.
Published Apr 8, 2021
Lava flows from the persistent Guatemalan volcano are approaching some nearby villages.
Published Apr 6, 2021
As sea level rises and the amount of sediment carried by the Yellow River declines, one of the world’s fastest changing deltas has seen rapid development.
Published Apr 6, 2021
The high-latitude region displays a beautiful palette of textures as the atmosphere interacts with the ice and water.
Published Apr 5, 2021
Airborne aerosols can cause or prevent cloud formation and harm human health. These maps depict aerosol concentrations in the air based on how the tiny particles reflect or absorb visible and infrared light.
The active Colima and extinct Nevado de Colima are both andesitic stratovolcanoes in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.
Published Apr 4, 2021
Sea salt, volcanic ash, dust, wildfire smoke, and industrial pollution are types of airborne aerosols. Natural aerosols tend to be larger than human-made aerosols. These maps show when and where aerosols come from nature, humans, or both.
In addition to making rain and snow, clouds can have a warming or cooling influence depending on their altitude, type, and when they form. These maps show what fraction of an area was cloudy each month.
From expansive tidal flats to purple-painted towns, southwestern South Korea features unique ecosystems for salt production, wildlife, and tourists.
Published Apr 3, 2021
The coastal state is one of the largest shrimp farming regions in Mexico.
Published Apr 2, 2021
These maps depict anomalies in land surface temperatures (LSTs); that is, how much hotter or cooler a region was compared to the long-term average. LST anomalies can indicate heat waves or cold spells.
Net radiation is the balance between incoming and outgoing energy at the top of the atmosphere. It is the total energy available to influence climate after light and heat are reflected, absorbed, or emitted by clouds and land.
A new video series offers a look at the satellite program that changed how we look at Earth.
Published Apr 1, 2021 in Earth Matters
A new report explores whether seasonal weather conditions play a role in influencing the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Published Mar 22, 2021 in Earth Matters
What do you do when presented with a new satellite image? Here's what the Earth Observatory team does to understand the view.
Published Nov 18, 2013
The web-based platform for tracking crop conditions during the growing season is now faster and more flexible.
Published Mar 19, 2021 in Notes From the Field
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different part of the world? What would the weather be like? What kinds of animals would you see? Which plants live there? By investigating these questions, you are learning about biomes.
Published Aug 28, 2020
Satellite images of Earth at night have been a curiosity for the public and a tool of fundamental research for at least 25 years. They have provided a broad, beautiful picture, showing how humans have shaped the planet and lit up the darkness.
Published Apr 12, 2017
For 20 years, astronauts have been shooting photos of Earth from the space station. Like everything the astronauts do, they are trained for this job. And like everything they do, there is purpose and intention behind it.
Published Feb 8, 2021
From their perch on the space station, astronauts have spent 20 years sharing a story about Earth as they see it from above. Like the directors of a film, those astronaut storytellers have a crew working behind the scenes to help them tell the story. Meet the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit.
Published Dec 1, 2020
From their home on the International Space Station, astronauts have a view unlike anything most of us will ever see. Over 20 years, they have shot millions of photographs of Earth, and it is not just a hobby. It is an important scientific job, and one they need to be trained to do. Learn more about the challenges of watching Earth from above.
Published Nov 2, 2020
A race is on to figure out whether COVID-19 will wax and wane with the seasons. Atmospheric and hydrologic models produced by NASA and other institutions may be key to that research.
Published Jul 14, 2020
12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005
A few decades ago, the idea of predicting a disease outbreak via satellite was science fiction. But today, researchers can use environmental data to predict when and where some diseases are likely to spread.
Published Jul 9, 2020
