Researchers used NASA satellite data to detect swarms of red-tinged copepods, a key food source for the endangered marine mammals, in the Gulf of Maine.
Still early in the fire season, satellites in mid-May observed intense blazes and towering plumes of smoke.
The Kuril Islands produced swirls of different sizes in passing clouds.
Published May 14, 2025
On a night with little to no moonlight, other sources of nighttime lights were on vivid display in parts of Burma, Thailand, and Laos.
Published May 11, 2025
A layer of salt called the Paradox Formation played a crucial role in the formation of thousands of arches within Utah’s Arches National Park.
Published May 10, 2025
The Hawaiian volcano has been spewing fountains of lava with remarkable frequency.
Published May 8, 2025
Warm temperatures and spring rains unleashed a surge of water that inundated riverside communities in the northern part of the Central Asian country.
Published May 7, 2025
The largest iceberg currently at sea is parked off the coast of South Georgia Island and showing signs of fragility.
Published May 7, 2025
Wintry conditions swept across the mountains, while destructive wind and flooding hit some of the country’s largest cities.
Published May 5, 2025Image of the Day Severe Storms Remote Sensing Temperature Extremes
A late-season herring spawn in a British Columbia inlet created a vibrant patch of turquoise water.
Published May 5, 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.
12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005
In northern Chad, the tallest peak in the Sahara Desert is topped with a patch of salt, not snow.
Published May 4, 2025
Many growers have been forced to replant as a prolonged flood killed off crops in the Arkansas Delta.
Published May 2, 2025
Satellite-derived maps of nighttime lights in southern Spain revealed power outages that persisted across rural areas as the region was recovering from a widespread blackout.
Published May 1, 2025
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
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.
These maps show the average amount of water vapor in a column of atmosphere by month. Water vapor is the key precursor for rain and snow and one of the most important greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Your challenge is to use the comments section to tell us where it is, what we are looking at, and why it is interesting.
Published Apr 22, 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
When fuels such as coal, wood, and oil burn incompletely, they produce carbon monoxide. The gas is spread by winds and circulation. These maps show monthly averages of CO in the lower atmosphere.
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
Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.
Published Mar 26, 2024
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.
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
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
Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.
Published Aug 15, 2023
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
NASA satellites document how our world—forests, oceans, human landscapes, even the Sun—changes over months, seasons, and years.
Published Apr 29, 2009
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.
