Lake Mungo’s Geological and Archaeological Treasures
Image of the Day Dec 10, 2024

Lake Mungo’s Geological and Archaeological Treasures

A lunette dune fringing this dried Australian lake preserves relics from ancient times, while today’s grazing patterns create sharp visible contrasts on the land.
Nighttime Lights Reveal Industrial Activity in the Arctic
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Nighttime Lights Reveal Industrial Activity in the Arctic

Satellite observations at night indicate that oil, gas, and mining have expanded across Earth’s northern latitudes.

Published Dec 9, 2024

Image of the Day Human Presence

Lighting the Night in Southern Africa
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Lighting the Night in Southern Africa

An astronaut’s sweeping nighttime photograph of Namibia and South Africa reveals the region’s lighted communities, many of which are centered around mining.

Published Dec 8, 2024

Image of the Day Atmosphere Human Presence

An Unusual Year for Fire in Bolivia
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An Unusual Year for Fire in Bolivia

Fire activity in the South American nation was remarkably intense and widespread in 2024.

Published Dec 7, 2024

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land

Rapid Rebound for Lake Casitas
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Rapid Rebound for Lake Casitas

The southern California reservoir refilled from historic lows after two above-average years of rain.

Published Dec 6, 2024

Image of the Day Water

Mangroves Are Losing Their Resilience
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Mangroves Are Losing Their Resilience

The iconic trees and shrubs of the Florida Everglades are under increased stress due to more frequent, intense hurricanes.

Published Dec 5, 2024

Image of the Day Land Water

Patagonian Shelf Waters Abloom
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Patagonian Shelf Waters Abloom

Colorful swirls of water reveal the presence of phytoplankton in the South Atlantic Ocean near the Falkland Islands.

Published Dec 4, 2024

Image of the Day Water

Satellites Reveal a Greener Antarctic Peninsula
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Satellites Reveal a Greener Antarctic Peninsula

Scientists are beginning to unravel what comes next, after the ice moves out and vegetation moves in.

Published Dec 2, 2024

Image of the Day Land Snow and Ice

Western Australia’s Capital City
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Western Australia’s Capital City

Perth, the only city along the country’s western coastline with more than 1 million people, displays widespread urban infrastructure alongside the Swan and Canning rivers.

Published Dec 1, 2024

Image of the Day Human Presence

Earth at Night
Article

Earth at Night

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

Atmosphere Land Human Presence Remote Sensing

Vegetation
Global Maps Feb 2000 — Sep 2024

Vegetation

Greenness is an important indicator of health for forests, grasslands, and farms. The greenness of a landscape, or vegetation index, depends on the number and type of plants, how leafy they are, and how healthy they are.

Land Life

Saturated Northern Australia
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Saturated Northern Australia

After two particularly wet years, large ephemeral lakes in the Barkly Tableland region were still flooded as the 2024–2025 rainy season got underway.

Published Nov 30, 2024

Image of the Day Water

Total Rainfall
Global Maps Jun 2000 — Oct 2024

Total Rainfall

These maps depict monthly total rainfall around the world. Rainfall is the primary source of fresh water for humans, plants, and animals. Rain also moves heat between the atmosphere, oceans, and land.

Atmosphere

Iran’s Lut Desert
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Iran’s Lut Desert

Windswept rocks and sand take many forms in this arid salt desert.

Published Nov 29, 2024

Image of the Day Heat Land

Alaska’s Fast-Growing Glacial Lakes
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Alaska’s Fast-Growing Glacial Lakes

Lake water has quickly filled the void left by a trio of retreating glaciers in the southern part of the state.

Published Nov 28, 2024

Image of the Day Snow and Ice

Blue Marble Next Generation
Article

Blue Marble Next Generation

12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.

Published Oct 13, 2005

Atmosphere Land Water Snow and Ice

World of Change
Article

World of Change

NASA satellites document how our world—forests, oceans, human landscapes, even the Sun—changes over months, seasons, and years.

Published Apr 29, 2009

Atmosphere Heat Land Life Human Presence Snow and Ice

Lava Nears Iceland’s Blue Lagoon
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Lava Nears Iceland’s Blue Lagoon

A tongue of lava from the eruption flowed into the parking lot of the geothermal spa.

Published Nov 26, 2024

Image of the Day Atmosphere Heat Land Volcanoes Snow and Ice

November Puzzler
Earth Matters

November Puzzler

Your challenge is to tell us the location of the satellite image and why it is interesting.

Published Nov 19, 2024

2024 North Atlantic Hurricane Season
Article

2024 North Atlantic Hurricane Season

Hurricane season in the basin runs from June 1 to November 30.

Published Jul 1, 2024

Atmosphere

Renewable and Alternative Energy
Article

Renewable and Alternative Energy

People have developed systems to harvest and store energy from sources such as wind, sunlight, and tidal action. Many of these installations are visible from orbit.

Published May 10, 2024

Land Human Presence

Air Quality
Article

Air Quality

From ground-level ozone to particulate matter to nitrogen dioxide, an array of gasses and particles can affect the air people breathe, with implications for human health.

Published Apr 8, 2024

Atmosphere Human Presence

Land Surface Temperature
Global Maps Feb 2000 — Oct 2024

Land Surface Temperature

Land surface temperatures rise and fall with the heat of the Sun, and they represent how hot or cold the surface would feel to touch. These maps show daytime land temperatures as measured from space.

Heat Land

Mission: Biomes
Article

Mission: Biomes

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

Land Life

Cloud Fraction
Global Maps Feb 2000 — Nov 2024

Cloud Fraction

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.

Atmosphere

Sea Surface Temperature
Global Maps Jul 2002 — Sep 2024

Sea Surface Temperature

Ocean temperatures can influence weather, such as hurricane formation, and climate patterns, such as El Niño. These maps show the temperature at the surface of the world’s seas and oceans.

Heat Water

Temperature Extremes 2024
Article

Temperature Extremes 2024

Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.

Published Mar 26, 2024

Heat

Fire
Global Maps Mar 2000 — Oct 2024

Fire

Whether started by humans (farming, logging, or accidents) or by nature (lightning), fires are always burning somewhere on Earth. These maps show the locations of fires burning around the world each month.

Land

2024 Fires in the Northern Hemisphere
Article

2024 Fires in the Northern Hemisphere

Whether sparked by lightning, intentional land-clearing, or human-caused accidents, wildland fires are burning longer and more often in some areas as the world warms.

Published Feb 27, 2024

Atmosphere Land Human Presence

How to Interpret a Satellite Image: Five Tips and Strategies
Article

How to Interpret a Satellite Image: Five Tips and Strategies

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

Remote Sensing

Temperature Extremes 2023
Article

Temperature Extremes 2023

Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.

Published Aug 15, 2023

Heat