Latest Features
Peering through the Sands of Time: Searching for the Origins of Space Archaeology
August 7, 2017In searching for lost cities and ancient travel routes, an unlikely band of scientists and explorers helped develop a new set of tools for archaeology. Read more
Argentina After Dark
August 1, 2017When viewed from a satellite in daylight, the landscape of central Argentina shows barely a sign of human settlement. But by night, the place could be mistaken for a game of luminescent connect-the-dots. Read more
NASA Earth Observatory Goes to the Beach
July 3, 2017Summer 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. Read more
Cities at Night: The View from Space
April 22, 2008Astronauts onboard the International Space Station capture nighttime photographs of city lights, spectacular evidence of humanity's existence, our distribution, and our ability to change our environment. Read more
2017
California Rises from Drought
June 19, 2017A June snowstorm just topped off the already thick layer of white stuff atop the Sierra Nevada. California's snow water equivalent rose to a heaping 170 percent of normal. But not so long ago, the state was in the midst of a deep drought; its mountains were bare and brown, and water levels plummeted in reservoirs. Read more
A Celebration of Clouds (video)
April 27, 2017Clouds 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. Read more
Earth at Night
April 12, 2017Satellite 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. Read more
EO-1: 17 Images from 17 Years
March 27, 2017Since 2000, Earth Observing-1 has provided stunning views of our planet in its beauty and fury, while advancing satellite technology and imaging. The satellite is being turned off, but its legacy lives on. Read more
World of Change: Sprawling Shanghai
March 13, 2017If you could go back in time to the 1980s, you would find a city that is drastically different than today’s Shanghai. Read more
El Niño: Pacific Wind and Current Changes Bring Warm, Wild Weather
February 14, 2017El Niño is one of the most important weather-producing phenomena on Earth. The changing ocean conditions disrupt weather patterns and marine life in the Pacific and around the world. Satellites are unraveling the many traits of this wild child of weather. Read more
Notes from the Field: Sea to Space Particle Investigation
February 6, 2017The month-long campaign across the Pacific on the R/V Falkor will monitor the diversity of oceanic phytoplankton, microscopic plant-like organisms, and their impact on the marine carbon cycle. Novel measurements will be compared to satellite observations and used in the formulation of the upcoming Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission. Read more
Browse Topics
World of Change
Satellite images showing how our world— forests, oceans,
cities, even the Sun— has changed in recent decades.
Read more
Blue Marble
Composite satellite images of the entire Earth.
Read more
Earth at Night
The night side of Earth twinkles with light in these composite global and regional views.
Read more
Experiments
Hands-on educational activities.
Read more
Visible Earth
A catalog of NASA images and animations of our home planet.
Read more
NASA Earth Observations
View, download, and analyze imagery of Earth science data.
Read more
