The broad perspective from satellites shows the landscapes and seascapes surrounding some of the world’s tallest, longest, fastest, and heaviest waves.
NASA scientists are studying the latest satellite imagery of the storm and analyzing the forces that made the storm so catastrophic.
Image of the Day Atmosphere Water Severe Storms Human Presence Remote Sensing
Loss of ice at the periphery of the Greenland Ice Sheet was often discounted; recent research suggests it should not be.
Published Sep 30, 2022Image of the Day Heat Land Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing
After damaging parts of Cuba and leaving the country dark, more destruction was expected as the powerful hurricane reached Florida’s western coast.
Published Sep 28, 2022
Warm seas provide fuel for extreme storms, and can then be cooled by them.
Published Sep 27, 2022Image of the Day Atmosphere Heat Water Severe Storms Remote Sensing
After making landfall in Cuba, the category 3 storm entered the Gulf of Mexico and appeared headed toward the west coast of Florida.
Published Sep 27, 2022
After making landfall in the Polillo Islands and Luzon, the storm strengthened again as it headed toward Vietnam.
Published Sep 26, 2022
Your challenge is to tell us the location of the satellite image and why it is interesting.
Published Sep 26, 2022
A decades-long eruption created this long strip of basalt in the desert in New Mexico.
Published Sep 26, 2022
After buffeting Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Bermuda, the hurricane appeared destined to be one of the strongest storms to ever reach the Canadian Maritimes.
Published Sep 23, 2022Image of the Day Atmosphere Heat Water Severe Storms Remote Sensing
Four days after Hurricane Fiona made landfall on the island, citizens were coping with widespread power losses.
Published Sep 22, 2022Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Severe Storms Human Presence Remote Sensing
The summer 2022 extent of Arctic sea ice continued the downward trend under way since the 1980s.
Published Sep 22, 2022Image of the Day Heat Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing Sea and Lake Ice
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.
On the final day of summer, much of the region’s vegetation had already turned from green to autumnal brown and gold.
Published Sep 22, 2022
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.
NASA satellites document how our world—forests, oceans, human landscapes, even the Sun—changes over months, seasons, and years.
Published Apr 29, 2009
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.
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
The underwater volcano has again created a small island.
Published Sep 20, 2022
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
Fiona and Nanmadol dropped several feet of rain on the islands on opposite sides of the world.
Published Sep 19, 2022
Indigenous representatives from across the Amazon met with geographers seeking to better understand how climate change is affecting the region.
Published Sep 7, 2022
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 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.
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
In 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, 2022
12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005
Net radiation is the balance between incoming and outgoing energy at the top of the atmosphere. It is the total energy available to influence climate after light and heat are reflected, absorbed, or emitted by clouds and land.
For the third time in a decade, the winner hails from the Canary Islands.
Published Mar 1, 2022
As green chlorophyll fades from trees and plants each autumn, other pigments color the Earth’s landscapes. Satellites take leaf-peeping to a whole new level.
Published Oct 26, 2021
Summer is beach season in the northern hemisphere. But even if you're a regular at your local swimming hole, you probably haven't seen too many beaches from this perspective. See the satellite and space-station views of various shorelines from across the United States. No sunblock necessary.
Published Jul 22, 2021
Clouds can be a nuisance when scientists are trying to observe features on Earth's surface. But at other times, clouds are exactly what they want to see. These images highlight some of the more unusual and beautiful clouds observed in recent years from space.
Published Jun 21, 2021
Since 1999, Earth Observatory has published images and stories from all over our planet. Now you can explore more than 11,000 images in a different way: by location.
Published Jun 2, 2021
