From their home on the International Space Station, astronauts have a view unlike anything most of us will ever see. Over 20 years, they have shot millions of photographs of Earth, and it is not just a hobby. It is an important scientific job, and one they need to be trained to do. Learn more about the challenges of watching Earth from above.
Seawater has been cutting like a knife through an enormous Antarctic iceberg afloat in the southern Atlantic Ocean.
Drone images show mangrove damage on the Yucatan Peninsula.
Published Jan 19, 2021 in Earth Matters
Smooth, soft-edged clouds hovered over the Eisenhower Range in Victoria Land, Antarctica.
Published Jan 19, 2021Image of the Day Atmosphere Land Snow and Ice Remote Sensing
Martin Luther King Jr. came of age in one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.
Published Jan 18, 2021
Cleveland’s urban layout has evolved as time and technology have advanced.
Published Jan 17, 2021
Multiple seasons of below-average rainfall have affected the country’s drinking water supplies and groundwater reservoirs.
Published Jan 16, 2021
A crack on the Antarctic ice shelf grew dramatically in late 2020 into 2021.
Published Jan 15, 2021
Earth’s average temperature has risen more than 1.2°C (2°F) since the late 19th century.
Published Jan 14, 2021Image of the Day Atmosphere Heat Remote Sensing World of Change Temperature Extremes
Your challenge is to use the comments section to tell us what we are looking at, where it is, and why it is interesting.
Published Jan 13, 2021 in Earth Matters
Central America experienced one of its most intense hurricane seasons in years, leading to widespread degradation to coastal environments.
Published Jan 13, 2021
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.
The lack of snow cover in December left Japan’s iconic mountain looking a little different than usual.
Published Jan 12, 2021Image of the Day Heat Land Severe Storms Snow and Ice Remote Sensing
Meteorologists declared it the largest snowfall in the region since 1971.
Published Jan 11, 2021
Land 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.
Sea level rise and new development are on a collision course in South Carolina lowcountry.
Published Jan 11, 2021
Uninhabited Atlasov Island rises above the clouds and the Sea of Okhotsk.
Published Jan 10, 2021
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.
Water that had pooled in the crater since 2019 quickly boiled off during an eruption that began in December 2020.
Published Jan 7, 2021
12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.
Published Oct 13, 2005
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.
Your challenge is to use the comments section to tell us what we are looking at, where it is, and why it is interesting.
Published Dec 30, 2020 in Earth Matters
From their perch on the space station, astronauts have spent 20 years sharing a story about Earth as they see it from above. Like the directors of a film, those astronaut storytellers have a crew working behind the scenes to help them tell the story. Meet the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit.
Published Dec 1, 2020
These maps depict how much hotter or cooler an ocean basin was compared to the long-term average. Temperature anomalies can indicate changes in ocean circulation or the arrival of patterns like El Niño and La Niña.
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.
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
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
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
For 20 years, astronauts have been shooting photos of Earth from the space station. Like everything the astronauts do, they are trained for this job. And like everything they do, there is purpose and intention behind it.
Published Oct 20, 2020
A race is on to figure out whether COVID-19 will wax and wane with the seasons. Atmospheric and hydrologic models produced by NASA and other institutions may be key to that research.
Published Jul 14, 2020
A few decades ago, the idea of predicting a disease outbreak via satellite was science fiction. But today, researchers can use environmental data to predict when and where some diseases are likely to spread.
Published Jul 9, 2020
NASA satellites and sensors constantly take the pulse of our planet. Researchers apply those observations on local and regional scales to better manage things like food and water supplies, health, safety, land use, and ecosystems.
Published May 1, 2020
