Astronaut Photography

Wet and Dry Morocco
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Wet and Dry Morocco

Westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean carry moisture into the region, but the Atlas Mountains act as a weather barrier between coastal grasslands and wetlands and the Sahara Desert.

Published Mar 17, 2019

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Grand Canyon Under Snow
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Grand Canyon Under Snow

The Grand Canyon is one of the best known natural wonders on Earth, but astronauts see very different patterns compared with the iconic ground-based views.

Published Mar 10, 2019

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Cloudy Congo River Basin
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Cloudy Congo River Basin

Moisture and solar heating lead to interesting patterns in one of the cloudiest places on Earth.

Published Mar 3, 2019

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Cologne, Germany
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Cologne, Germany

The city is the cultural, historic, and economic capital of the Rhineland, a vital inland port, and the busiest rail junction in Germany.

Published Feb 17, 2019

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Missouri Plateau
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Missouri Plateau

The Rocky Mountains meet the Great Plains at this flatland of the central-northwest United States.

Published Feb 18, 2019

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Ancient Rocks, Modern Dunes
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Ancient Rocks, Modern Dunes

In the arid interior of Yemen, ancient rocks stand astride dry river beds and mighty sand dunes.

Published Feb 10, 2019

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Icy Moose River
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Icy Moose River

Taken near the northernmost extent of the space station’s orbit, this photograph shows ice growth in the midst of freezing season near James Bay.

Published Jan 31, 2019

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O Christmas Tree! from Space
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O Christmas Tree! from Space

Shaped like an evergreen conifer, Lake Dukan is the largest lake in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Published Dec 25, 2018

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All of You on the Good Earth
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All of You on the Good Earth

These iconic photos are not new, but their message never gets old.

Published Dec 24, 2018

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A Spacecraft's Journey to the Space Station
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A Spacecraft's Journey to the Space Station

As NASA's latest care package heads toward the International Space Station, it traveled over beautiful Earth landscapes—from scenic snowscapes to desolate deserts.

Published Dec 21, 2018

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The Rhône River in Geneva
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The Rhône River in Geneva

Alpine in character and perennial in flow, the river is a crucial resource for hydroelectricity, irrigation, transportation, and tourism.

Published Nov 25, 2018

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The Horn of Africa, Somalia
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The Horn of Africa, Somalia

This coastline is rugged, with mountains, dry river beds, a small delta, and steep cliffs that cast shadows on the landscape.

Published Nov 24, 2018

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The Largest River Delta in Europe
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The Largest River Delta in Europe

The Volga Delta has grown significantly over the past 130 years.

Published Nov 12, 2018

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A Close-Up View of the Betsiboka
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A Close-Up View of the Betsiboka

The braided river carries iron-rich sediment from the high central plateau and mountains down through complex, woven channels and vegetated islands.

Published Nov 4, 2018

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A Dusty View of the Al Qassim Region
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A Dusty View of the Al Qassim Region

A line of thunderclouds marched across the desert of central Saudi Arabia on the way toward Yemen.

Published Oct 28, 2018

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Earth Awash in Lights of the Night
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Earth Awash in Lights of the Night

City lights sprawl across Earth’s surface below a constant glow in the upper atmosphere.

Published Oct 23, 2018

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Alluvial Fan, Taklimakan Desert
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Alluvial Fan, Taklimakan Desert

Water from the Kunlun Mountains carves thin channels across the dry lands of Western China.

Published Oct 21, 2018

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Bounty of the Pacific Northwest
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Bounty of the Pacific Northwest

The area around the two Vancouvers is rich in natural beauty and resources.

Published Oct 14, 2018

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Shining Light on the Upper Peninsula
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Shining Light on the Upper Peninsula

The upper reaches of Michigan are rich in natural resources, with more emphasis on the “nature” these days.

Published Oct 7, 2018

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Savai‘i and Upolu in Sunglint
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Savai‘i and Upolu in Sunglint

Samoa’s two largest islands, made by volcanoes, have productive reefs and fertile soils.

Published Sep 30, 2018

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Bou Craa Phosphate Mine, Western Sahara
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Bou Craa Phosphate Mine, Western Sahara

The mine is one of the few human patterns visible from space in this almost entirely uninhabited western extremity of the Sahara Desert.

Published Sep 23, 2018

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Green River Meanders
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Green River Meanders

The old river has cut compelling patterns and formations into the red rocks of Utah.

Published Sep 18, 2018

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River of the Strait
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River of the Strait

Cars, commerce, and countries connect along the Detroit River.

Published Sep 2, 2018

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Midsummer Sunrise, Gulf of Saint Lawrence
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Midsummer Sunrise, Gulf of Saint Lawrence

An astronaut captured a moment of morning beauty in a region often shrouded in clouds.

Published Aug 19, 2018

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Lake Van, Turkey
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Lake Van, Turkey

Rich in carbonate species and salts, the basin is the largest alkaline lake in the world.

Published Aug 12, 2018

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Coastal Beauty in Northern Territory
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Coastal Beauty in Northern Territory

This northern part of Australia is sparsely populated but rich in national park and conservation land.

Published Aug 5, 2018

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Sand Sea Margin, Namib Desert
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Sand Sea Margin, Namib Desert

In a land with little water, the wind does the landscaping most of the time. Ephemeral water leaves a mark, though.

Published Jul 29, 2018

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An Astronaut’s View of Mount St. Helens
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An Astronaut’s View of Mount St. Helens

The area around the volcano has been left to recover naturally from the disaster, which it has done quite nicely, if slowly.

Published Jul 22, 2018

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Connemara National Park
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Connemara National Park

Sculpted by ice ages, the west coast of Ireland is rich in rugged natural beauty.

Published Jul 15, 2018

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Amazon Meanders in Sunglint
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Amazon Meanders in Sunglint

The largest river in the world is full of bends and meanders, a result of the water course snaking back and forth across the landscape over time.

Published Jul 2, 2018

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