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Vote for your favorite all-time Earth Observatory image. Help narrow the field from 32 nominees down to one champion in a five-round tournament.
Atmosphere Land Life Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing Videos
Seasonal agricultural fires and wildfires are polluting the region’s air.
After cracks formed in the sea ice, the MOSAiC expedition team decided to move instruments to safer location.
Published Apr 2, 2020 in Notes From the Field
The fast-growing city of Cairo has spilled onto desert plains well beyond the lush floodplain of the Nile River.
Published Apr 1, 2020
High water on the James River in South Dakota has persisted for more than a year.
Published Mar 31, 2020Image of the Day Land Water Floods Severe Storms Human Presence Remote Sensing
Every month we offer a puzzling satellite image. Your challenge is to tell us what we are looking at, where it is, and why it is interesting.
Published Mar 31, 2020 in Earth Matters
Cracks in the Arctic sea ice are important for satellite-based measurements of the ice’s thickness. They also pose challenges for ship-based researchers participating in the MOSAiC expedition.
Published Mar 30, 2020
Researchers are using satellite data to understand where locusts may spread during the largest infestation in eastern Africa in decades.
Published Mar 27, 2020
A newly formed sinkhole on the Coca River has diverted water originally headed towards the San Rafael Waterfall.
Published Mar 27, 2020
Earth’s third-highest summit, Kangchenjunga, rises more than 8500 meters above sea level along the border of Nepal and India.
Published Mar 27, 2020
Night lights not only speak to where we live, but how.
Published Mar 26, 2020
The shrinking of this once-vast inland lake means winds more frequently pick up dust from the exposed lakebed.
Published Mar 25, 2020
Slight recoveries in the extent of sea ice at both poles were not enough to return to long-term normal levels.
Published Mar 24, 2020Image of the Day Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing Sea and Lake Ice
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.
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
Winter is loosening its grip on the Northern Hemisphere, but the seasonal change in Northern Europe is less dramatic than most years.
Published Mar 23, 2020
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.
To celebrate EO's 20th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we want you to pick our all-time best image. Each week from March 23 to April 28, you can vote for your favorites, narrowing the field from 32 nominees down to one champion.
Published Mar 23, 2020
The Hawaiian island has been scarred by volcanic eruptions, livestock grazing, penal colonies, bombs, and fire. Yet there is hope for healing.
Published Mar 20, 2020
Good news has been scarce. But here's at least one update ― from one million miles away ― to appreciate.
Published Mar 20, 2020 in Earth Matters
Cracks in the sea ice are a not-so-gentle reminder that the ice can be extremely dynamic, and researchers should be prepared for anything.
Published Mar 20, 2020 in Notes From the Field
12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005
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 Oct 5, 2000
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.
Heavy rain in March drenches parched land in southwestern Queensland.
Published Mar 20, 2020
They are geographically isolated but scientifically and visually compelling.
Published Mar 20, 2020
Carried by winds and currents, sea ice can reach the coast of Hokkaido, Japan.
Published Mar 19, 2020
These nested volcanic features grew as small, secondary vents along the flanks of larger volcanoes.
Published Mar 18, 2020
Industrialization has brought incredible societal advances and difficult pollution problems. From space, we can see skies clearing in some regions and darkening in others. The thin blue line of our atmosphere is still quite vulnerable.
Published Jun 24, 2014
When it erupted in January 2020, Taal Volcano blanketed the surrounding area with volcanic debris that has taken a toll on farmers.
Published Mar 17, 2020
The 12,000-year old town of Hasankeyf could soon be underwater due to the construction of a new dam.
Published Mar 16, 2020
Central to the entire MOSAiC Expedition is the MOSAiC Floe: a large sheet of sea ice that was carefully selected as the ideal place to anchor Polarstern for an entire year.
Published Mar 16, 2020 in Notes From the Field
Find out about sea ice and its effects on ecosystems and global climate by looking at how and when it forms on Earth. Plus, learn how different types of water freeze in our “DIY Science” activity: “Saltwater is Cool (Literally).”
Published Mar 13, 2020 in EO Kids
These maps show the ‘metabolism” of Earth’s plants and trees. Net primary productivity is the difference between the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed during photosynthesis minus the amount released by respiration.
The MOSAiC Leg 3 team is officially on board the Polarstern, and science activities have quickly begun.
Published Mar 13, 2020 in Notes From the Field
Winds and currents stirred up the thin sea ice, forming delicate patterns around Anticosti Island in Quebec, Canada.
Published Mar 13, 2020Image of the Day Water Unique Imagery Snow and Ice Remote Sensing
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.
Big rain events in Queensland can alter the landscape for months as water—and then a carpet of vegetation—moves toward Lake Eyre.
Published Mar 13, 2020
The almost circular massif in the Darfur region is a large cluster of volcanoes and lava flows, with a few traces of human activity.
Published Mar 13, 2020
New data from the European Space Agency now show drops in nitrogen dioxide concentrations over Italy due to that country's nationwide lockdown.
Published Mar 13, 2020 in Earth Matters
The Canberra Deep Space Communications Complex plays a key role in keeping engineers and scientists connected to distant spacecraft.
Published Mar 13, 2020
The winter of 2019-2020 was much drier than usual in California, as evidenced by the dearth of snow in the mountains.
Published Mar 12, 2020
A new study has found a link between the effects of climate change, the productivity of grasslands, and the proliferation of bison in Yellowstone National Park.
Published Mar 11, 2020
Even during the wet season, fires can burn in the large wetland region in southwestern Brazil.
Published Mar 10, 2020
The season is a time of great change, turbulence, and productivity in northern waters.
Published Mar 9, 2020
The latest in a series of dust storms carried even more dust and sand off the coast of Morocco and Western Sahara.
Published Mar 9, 2020
The remote hamlet sits along California’s rugged “Lost Coast.”
Published Mar 5, 2020
Standing just a few meters from the sea ice, one can see just how dynamic, variable, and beautiful the ice cover can be.
Published Mar 5, 2020 in Notes From the Field
A cold front, warm front, and high-pressure system left their signatures in the clouds.
Published Mar 5, 2020
As people have changed their everyday behaviors to contain or avoid the coronavirus, there have been subtle effects on the environment.
Published Mar 5, 2020 in Earth Matters
The volcano has been erupting since January 2005, with near constant venting from fumaroles, punctuated by minor steam, gas, and ash emissions.
Published Mar 5, 2020
Since its launch on the web in April 1999, NASA Earth Observatory has published more than 15,500 image-driven stories about our planet. In celebration of our 20th anniversary -- as well as the 50th anniversary of Earth Day -- we want you to help us choose our all-time best image.
Published Mar 3, 2020 in Earth Matters
Pine Island Glacier is one of the fastest-retreating glaciers in Antarctica. Watch the glacier’s ice front as it retreats and sheds some notable icebergs over the past two decades.
Published Feb 13, 2020
The average global temperature has increased by a little more than 1° Celsius (2° Fahrenheit) since 1880. Two-thirds of the warming has occurred since 1975.
Published Jan 29, 2020
Scientists create maps of forest cover to understand where the composition and structure of Pacific Northwest forests are sufficient for the threatened species to nest and roost.
Published Jan 3, 2020
2019 brought many memorable events on Planet Earth. Here are a few highlights from around the globe.
Published Dec 20, 2019
