Bits of pulverized rock carried by Alaska’s glacial streams into the shallow, productive estuary transform the bay’s color and can affect some types of marine life.
A powerful mid-latitude storm fueled dust storms, tornadoes, blizzards, and downpours across the country.
Satellites have documented lakes on the “roof of the world” becoming larger and more numerous over the past three decades.
Published Mar 5, 2025
"Leaf-to-orbit" activities began as the campers arrived in Canada’s Northwest Territories.
Published Mar 4, 2025
Following a record dry month, a fire near Ofunato spread to become the country’s largest in decades.
Published Mar 3, 2025
Airborne dust is common over the West African country, but its source can affect the appearance of plumes.
Published Mar 3, 2025
Penguins outnumber people on this remote, mountainous island in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
Published Mar 2, 2025
February 2025 was a scorcher, with record temperatures in parts of Brazil and notable heat in Argentina.
Published Feb 28, 2025Image of the Day Heat Drought Fires Floods Severe Storms Temperature Extremes
An unusual number of tropical storms churned across the planet’s southern oceans simultaneously in February 2025.
Published Feb 27, 2025Image of the Day Atmosphere Heat Water Drought Fires Floods Severe Storms Temperature Extremes
After 31 years, scientist Joaquin Chaves returned to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica for another international expedition.
Published Feb 27, 2025
12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005
Wildfire burned through unique landscapes and disrupted scientific research on this remote island in the southern Indian Ocean.
Published Feb 26, 2025
Bright snow topped the island’s thick ice sheet, while a swirling display of sea ice hugged the southeast coast.
Published Feb 26, 2025
A new camp in Canada’s Northwest Territories would allow youth to view wetland environments from a ‘leaf-to-orbit’ perspective.
Published Feb 25, 2025
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.
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.
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
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.
NASA satellites document how our world—forests, oceans, human landscapes, even the Sun—changes over months, seasons, and years.
Published Apr 29, 2009
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
Your challenge is to tell us the location of the satellite image and why it is interesting.
Published Feb 25, 2025
Iceberg A-84 has spent part of the Southern Hemisphere’s summer zipping along West Antarctica’s coastline.
Published Feb 24, 2025
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.
Nighttime lights reveal the structure of Turkmenistan’s capital city.
Published Feb 23, 2025
The elevation changes may seem small, amounting to fractions of inches per year, but they can increase or decrease local flood risk, wave exposure, and saltwater intrusion.
Published Feb 22, 2025
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.
AVUELO's many moving parts has made time fly by by for the campaign’s project scientist.
Published Feb 21, 2025
What does AVUELO have in common with a Joni Mitchell song? The answer lies in the clouds.
Published Feb 19, 2025
Hurricane season in the basin runs from June 1 to November 30.
Published Jul 1, 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
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
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
Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.
Published Aug 15, 2023
