Astronauts and much of Earth’s population had a chance to view a coppery “Blood Moon” during a total lunar eclipse in September 2025.
The tropical cyclones are close enough in proximity that they may influence one another.
A colorful ridge and winding glacial meltwater river meet amidst dune fields in western China.
Published Oct 1, 2025
The colossal project created a valuable connection between the U.S. interior and the Atlantic Ocean when it opened in October 1825.
Published Sep 29, 2025
A Gulf Coast storm followed by snowmelt in January 2025 temporarily increased the Mississippi River’s outflow, sending a surge of sediment through the delta and into gulf waters.
Published Sep 28, 2025
In late September 2025, a continued lack of rainfall led to stunted vegetation, lowered water levels, and prompted early fall foliage.
Published Sep 26, 2025
The Guiana Shield’s rugged terrain shapes Guyana’s waterways, but mining has altered their clarity.
Published Sep 26, 2025
After a long, turbulent journey, Antarctic Iceberg A-23A is signaling its demise as it floats in the South Atlantic.
Published Sep 25, 2025
The super typhoon headed for Guangdong province after lashing Taiwan and northern Luzon in the Philippines.
Published Sep 23, 2025
Hillsides in Alaska’s interior showed their changing colors ahead of the autumnal equinox.
Published Sep 23, 2025
Snow and ice influence climate by reflecting sunlight back into space. When it melts, snow is a source of water for drinking and vegetation; too much snowmelt can lead to floods. These maps show average snow cover by month.
Satellite data show decades of gradual but persistent change to forests around one of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s largest cities.
Published Sep 22, 2025
Sediment from the riverbed, especially during periods of higher flow, helps shape the surrounding beaches and sandbars.
Published Sep 21, 2025
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.
Satellite data show that Arctic sea ice likely reached its annual minimum extent on September 10, 2025.
Published Sep 19, 2025
Hurricane season in the basin runs from June 1 to November 30.
Published Jul 1, 2024
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
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
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.
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.
Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.
Published Mar 26, 2024
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
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
12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005
Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.
Published Aug 15, 2023
NASA satellites document how our world—forests, oceans, human landscapes, even the Sun—changes over months, seasons, and years.
Published Apr 29, 2009
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
Chlorophyll is used by algae and other phytoplankton--the grass of the sea--to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into sugars. These maps show chlorophyll concentrations in the ocean, revealing where phytoplankton are thriving.
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.
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
