Astronaut Photography

Rolling Through the Appalachians
Image

Rolling Through the Appalachians

The Susquehanna River cuts through the folds of the Valley-and-Ridge province of the mountain chain.

Published Apr 12, 2020

Image of the Day Land Human Presence

Ni’ihau
Image

Ni’ihau

Despite sporadic rainfall, the island is the occasional home of two of the larger bodies of water in Hawaii.

Published Apr 5, 2020

Image of the Day Land

Sunlit Peaks in the Himalayas
Image

Sunlit Peaks in the Himalayas

Earth’s third-highest summit, Kangchenjunga, rises more than 8500 meters above sea level along the border of Nepal and India.

Published Mar 29, 2020

Image of the Day Land

Choose Your Champion: Tournament Earth 2020
Article

Choose Your Champion: Tournament Earth 2020

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.

Published Mar 26, 2020

Atmosphere Land Life Water Snow and Ice Remote Sensing Videos

Waving at the Kerguelen Islands
Image

Waving at the Kerguelen Islands

They are geographically isolated but scientifically and visually compelling.

Published Mar 22, 2020

Image of the Day Land

Jebel Marra, Sudan
Image

Jebel Marra, Sudan

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 15, 2020

Image of the Day Land

Shelter Cove
Image

Shelter Cove

The remote hamlet sits along California’s rugged “Lost Coast.”

Published Mar 8, 2020

Image of the Day Land Water

Rocas Atoll
Image

Rocas Atoll

The only atoll in the South Atlantic Ocean is part of Brazil’s Fernando de Noronha archipelago.

Published Feb 29, 2020

Image of the Day Water

Reservoirs, Bends, and Canyons on the Colorado Plateau
Image

Reservoirs, Bends, and Canyons on the Colorado Plateau

Ancient geologic features and modern creations share the spotlight in this photo of southeastern Utah and northern Arizona taken from the ISS.

Published Feb 23, 2020

Image of the Day Land

Nevado Sajama and Parinacota
Image

Nevado Sajama and Parinacota

This photograph highlights several snow- and ice-capped volcanoes as they cast early morning shadows over a mountainous region of Bolivia and Chile.

Published Feb 16, 2020

Image of the Day Land

Maiella Massif, Italy
Image

Maiella Massif, Italy

Complicated tectonics elevated the high plateau from rock layers that were originally deposited millions of years ago at the bottom of the sea.

Published Feb 9, 2020

Image of the Day Land

Coast of Peru
Image

Coast of Peru

Natural wonders of Peru stand out in this wide-angle photograph.

Published Feb 2, 2020

Image of the Day Land Water

Beysehir and Egirdir
Image

Beysehir and Egirdir

Two of the largest freshwater lakes in Turkey sit on the Anatolia Plateau.

Published Jan 26, 2020

Image of the Day Land Water

Watching Meteors from Space
Image

Watching Meteors from Space

Astronaut Christina Koch snapped a picture of the Quadrantids in January 2020.

Published Jan 20, 2020

Image of the Day Atmosphere

Bermejo River
Image

Bermejo River

Astronauts captured a striking glimpse of the Andes Mountains, which divide lush forest from the Atacama Desert.

Published Jan 19, 2020

Image of the Day Land Human Presence

The Colorado Rockies
Image

The Colorado Rockies

An astronaut captured this view of the Front Range, the San Juan Mountains, and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Published Jan 12, 2020

Image of the Day Land

ICONic Views of the Atmosphere
Image

ICONic Views of the Atmosphere

At the boundary between Earth and space, particles and gases and energy do an intricate and colorful dance that varies daily.

Published Jan 7, 2020

Image of the Day Remote Sensing

Desert Contrasts in Chad
Image

Desert Contrasts in Chad

Geologically young, dark lava flows stand out from older, lighter rocks and the sands of the central Sahara.

Published Jan 5, 2020

Image of the Day Land

Frozen Moonrise
Image

Frozen Moonrise

The winter scene includes icy shorelines and frozen landscapes around Hudson Bay under thin, wrinkled clouds.

Published Dec 30, 2019

Image of the Day Snow and Ice

Rivers in Glint, Southern Brazil
Image

Rivers in Glint, Southern Brazil

Sunlight highlights details around Rio Paraná, Rio Tiete, and Rio Paranapanema.

Published Dec 22, 2019

Image of the Day Land

Long, Tall Shadows
Image

Long, Tall Shadows

Anvil clouds and towering thunderheads stood tall over northeastern Brazil.

Published Dec 15, 2019

Image of the Day Atmosphere

Lake Oahe, South Dakota
Image

Lake Oahe, South Dakota

The fourth largest man-made reservoir in North America extends from Pierre, South Dakota, to Bismarck, North Dakota.

Published Dec 8, 2019

Image of the Day Water

Agriculture Patterns in the Great Plains
Image

Agriculture Patterns in the Great Plains

The grid-like pattern that spreads across the encompassing flatlands is typical of the Great Plains region and of Nebraska in particular.

Published Nov 29, 2019

Image of the Day Land Human Presence

Comb Ridge, Utah
Image

Comb Ridge, Utah

A mountain-building event lifted up this area between 40 and 70 million years ago.

Published Nov 24, 2019

Image of the Day Land

One Island, Two Perspectives
Image

One Island, Two Perspectives

Different lens sizes and camera angles provide wildly different views of Madagascar.

Published Nov 17, 2019

Image of the Day Remote Sensing

Taranto City, Southern Italy
Image

Taranto City, Southern Italy

Italy’s major southern port and naval base has a history dating back to Roman times.

Published Nov 10, 2019

Image of the Day Human Presence

Bolivia’s Sandy Rivers
Image

Bolivia’s Sandy Rivers

The winter season is often hot and dry, leading rivers to dry up and become vulnerable to aeolian processes.

Published Nov 3, 2019

Image of the Day Land

Beauty Carved by Nature’s Violence
Image

Beauty Carved by Nature’s Violence

Ash, pumice, and steam shaped the landscape around Katmai and Novarupta.

Published Oct 27, 2019

Image of the Day Snow and Ice

Night Lights Can Disrupt Wildlife
Image

Night Lights Can Disrupt Wildlife

A new study shows that nocturnal animals are less active when the nights are too bright with electric lighting.

Published Oct 24, 2019

Image of the Day Land Life Human Presence Remote Sensing

A Trail of Night Lights
Image

A Trail of Night Lights

This composite image was made from more than 400 photos taken as the International Space Station traveled from Namibia toward the Red Sea.

Published Oct 20, 2019

Image of the Day Atmosphere Human Presence