This map reveals the depth of floodwater that covered Rio Grande do Sul in May 2024.
Drought helped spread intense, early-season blazes in one of the world’s largest wetlands.
Life finds ways to survive on this small volcanic island chain that’s way off the beaten path.
Published Jun 15, 2024Moisture-laden tropical air brought intense downpours and flooding to the southern part of the state.
Published Jun 12, 2024Ice fragments from Greenland and the Arctic form elaborate swirls as they are swept south.
Published Jun 12, 2024An early summer heat wave broke temperature records in Nevada, Arizona, and California in June 2024.
Published Jun 10, 2024Moonlit mountains and illuminated towns highlight geographic features on this sparsely populated Russian peninsula.
Published Jun 9, 2024The remote archipelago is flanked by extensive coral reef areas, but these hubs of biodiversity face a summer of sweltering water temperatures.
Published Jun 8, 2024Dry weather is putting extra strain on the systems that deliver water to Mexico City.
Published Jun 7, 2024Venezuela is the first postglacial nation in the Andes, as its last substantial patch of ice is now considered too small to flow under its own weight.
Published Jun 7, 202412 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005Satellite 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, 2017What 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, 2013NASA satellites document how our world—forests, oceans, human landscapes, even the Sun—changes over months, seasons, and years.
Published Apr 29, 2009Strong winds and ample fuel helped spread flames over 14,000 acres of grassland in San Joaquin County.
Published Jun 5, 2024In 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.
Emissions of the potent greenhouse gas may be higher than previously thought, especially from landfills.
Published Jun 5, 2024Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Human Presence Remote Sensing
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, 2020A volcanic fissure on the Reykjanes peninsula came alive again with voluminous, vigorous flows.
Published Jun 3, 2024In Puerto Rico, corals, seagrass, and mangroves paint a colorful Caribbean scene by day, while the waters of a rare bioluminescent bay glow blue at night.
Published Jun 1, 2024Your challenge is to tell us the location of the satellite image and why it is interesting.
Published May 21, 2024
Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.
Published Aug 15, 2023The 2023 season runs from June 1 to November 30, with peak activity generally occurring in September.
Published Jun 1, 2023Wildland fires in 2023 brought hazy skies and poor air quality to several countries north of the equator.
Published May 22, 2023Land 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.
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.
From soil conditions to crop productivity, satellite data help inform farmers, scientists, and decision-makers in the U.S. and around the world.
Published Feb 28, 2023Over the years, astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory have snapped spectacular photographs of Earth’s snow and ice in both hemispheres.
Published Dec 21, 2022In honor of our site anniversary, we offer a selection of some of the most beautiful, newsworthy, interesting, and scientifically important images from 23 years online — one image for each day of the calendar year.
Published Apr 26, 2022Airborne 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.