Astronaut Photography

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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Palma, Mallorca
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Palma, Mallorca

The city has a rich history that has been influenced by the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Moors.

Published Oct 24, 2021

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Folds of the Bighorn Basin
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Folds of the Bighorn Basin

Red rocks and complex geology are distinctive features of this physiographic region in Wyoming and Montana.

Published Oct 17, 2021

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Eruption Continues at La Palma
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Eruption Continues at La Palma

Cumbre Vieja volcano is making its presence felt from above and below.

Published Oct 9, 2021

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The Fish Farms of Hainan Island
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The Fish Farms of Hainan Island

The southern coasts of this Chinese island are lined with tropical beaches, while the inner bays are lined with floating fishing villages.

Published Oct 9, 2021

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Hurricane Sam
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Hurricane Sam

The category-4 storm spun over the Atlantic Ocean, accompanied by Tropical Storm Victor and Saharan dust to the southeast.

Published Oct 1, 2021

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Lakes Pueyrredón and Posadas
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Lakes Pueyrredón and Posadas

Glacial ice, rivers, and fierce winds have sculpted two spectacular lakes and several deltas in this part of Patagonia.

Published Oct 3, 2021

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A Moving and Falling Target
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A Moving and Falling Target

Shadows accentuate the depth of the canyon that the Niagara River has carved over the past 12,000 years.

Published Sep 26, 2021

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