Astronaut Photography

San Pedro and Ambergris Cay
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San Pedro and Ambergris Cay

Mangroves and the world’s second longest barrier reef system are among the natural gems around Belize’s largest island.

Published May 15, 2022

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Karst and Colors on the Yucatán Peninsula
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Karst and Colors on the Yucatán Peninsula

Sediments and mangroves paint the wetlands, while sinkholes dot the land surface.

Published May 8, 2022

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Chachani Volcano, Andes Mountains
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Chachani Volcano, Andes Mountains

The dormant volcano in Southern Peru is a complex mix of structures.

Published May 1, 2022

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Change and Preservation Around Paranapanema
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Change and Preservation Around Paranapanema

Human activity and natural beauty merge in south-central Brazil.

Published Apr 24, 2022

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Brahmaputra River, Northeast India
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Brahmaputra River, Northeast India

One of Asia’s largest rivers carves the landscape and people carve a living from its floodplain.

Published Apr 17, 2022

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Watercolors of Torrevieja
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Watercolors of Torrevieja

The Spanish port town is bathed in a colorful palette.

Published Apr 10, 2022

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Close-Up of Mount Everest
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Close-Up of Mount Everest

The highest mountain on Earth takes on a different perspective from the vantage point of space.

Published Mar 26, 2022

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San Luis Valley
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San Luis Valley

The region has been home to Native Americans for centuries, and a periodic training spot for astronauts for five decades.

Published Mar 20, 2022

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Agriculture Fans Out in Turkmenistan
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Agriculture Fans Out in Turkmenistan

Fed by mountain streams and a canal, the Murgab and Tedzhen fans are irrigated farming oases in arid Central Asia.

Published Mar 12, 2022

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Flying Over Furneaux
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Flying Over Furneaux

The island chain was once part of a land bridge connecting Tasmania to mainland Australia.

Published Mar 6, 2022

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The Spine of South Island
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The Spine of South Island

New Zealand’s Southern Alps rise high above the landscape and influence the weather around them.

Published Feb 26, 2022

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Cloudscape at Dawn, Northwest Atlantic
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Cloudscape at Dawn, Northwest Atlantic

Looking toward the rising Sun, an external camera on the ISS was able to capture the details of rising cumulus clouds.

Published Feb 21, 2022

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Heart-shaped Oasis
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Heart-shaped Oasis

This area of Egypt has supported human life for more than 8,000 years.

Published Feb 14, 2022

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Maiao Atoll, Polynesia
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Maiao Atoll, Polynesia

The tiny Society Islands stand out as land oases amid the largest expanse of water on Earth.

Published Feb 6, 2022

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Yellow Sea Night Lights
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Yellow Sea Night Lights

Aggregations of fishing boats can make it seem like there are cities in the water.

Published Jan 30, 2022

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Winter on the Roof of the World
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Winter on the Roof of the World

With an average elevation of 4500 meters above sea level, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is one of Earth’s highest geographic features.

Published Jan 23, 2022

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Two Decades of Change at Toshka Lakes
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Two Decades of Change at Toshka Lakes

The rise and fall of these basins depend on fluctuations in the flow of the Nile River.

Published Jan 18, 2022

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Snowy Scene Surrounding the Salish Sea
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Snowy Scene Surrounding the Salish Sea

After a rainy autumn, winter weather arrived in the Pacific Northwest.

Published Jan 7, 2022

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Lunar Views and Beyond
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Lunar Views and Beyond

Astronauts traveling within Earth’s largest artificial satellite can capture unique shots of the planet’s only natural satellite.

Published Dec 31, 2021

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Otherworldly Earth
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Otherworldly Earth

The Libyan Desert is often cited as a Mars analogue.

Published Dec 26, 2021

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The Braided Paraná
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The Braided Paraná

South America’s second-longest river forms part of the border between Argentina and Paraguay.

Published Dec 19, 2021

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North Patagonia Icefield, Southern Andes
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North Patagonia Icefield, Southern Andes

The mountain peaks here reach high enough and temperatures remain cold enough year-round that permanent ice persists amid a warming world.

Published Dec 12, 2021

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Lake Berryessa
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Lake Berryessa

The reservoir provides water for Napa wine country and for cities in Northern California.

Published Dec 5, 2021

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Indonesia’s Twin Peaks
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Indonesia’s Twin Peaks

Mount Sundoro and Mount Sumbing are symmetrical, cone-shaped peaks in Central Java.

Published Nov 27, 2021

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Paleozoic Plymouths
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Paleozoic Plymouths

Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Plymouth, England, share a historical connection even older than the first Thanksgiving.

Published Nov 25, 2021

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An Ice Tongue Reaching for Land
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An Ice Tongue Reaching for Land

Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers on Earth that are not retreating.

Published Nov 21, 2021

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Rocking the Isles of Scilly
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Rocking the Isles of Scilly

Shallow rock formations and sandbars allow people to occasionally walk between the islands.

Published Nov 14, 2021

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Shedding Light on Urban Development
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Shedding Light on Urban Development

Cities seem to follow similar growth processes no matter where they are.

Published Nov 15, 2021

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Cloudscapes over Sumatra
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Cloudscapes over Sumatra

Moist ocean air and steady winds pile up thunderheads and anvil clouds around Indonesia.

Published Nov 7, 2021

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Western Coastline of Greece
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Western Coastline of Greece

Rugged mountains and islands stand out in this tectonically active region.

Published Oct 30, 2021

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