Astronaut Photography

Cruising Past the Aurora Borealis
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Cruising Past the Aurora Borealis

Astronauts have snapped numerous photos of the light show from their unique perch on the International Space Station.

Published Feb 27, 2021

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Hints of a Recent Eruption
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Hints of a Recent Eruption

Photographing an ongoing volcanic eruption anywhere on Earth is a matter of luck for most astronauts, but Kamchatka provides its share of opportunities.

Published Feb 21, 2021

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The Red Crest
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The Red Crest

The Namib Desert bears a scar from a meteorite impact.

Published Feb 18, 2021

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Bolts of Blue
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Bolts of Blue

Cameras and sensors on the International Space Station have been helping scientists to characterize the natural light shows produced at the tops of thunderstorms.

Published Feb 10, 2021

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Picturing Earth: Astronaut Photography In Focus
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Picturing Earth: Astronaut Photography In Focus

For 20 years, astronauts have been shooting photos of Earth from the space station. Like everything the astronauts do, they are trained for this job. And like everything they do, there is purpose and intention behind it.

Published Feb 8, 2021

Human Presence Remote Sensing Videos

Sands and Mats at Padre Island
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Sands and Mats at Padre Island

The barrier island in Texas has much to teach about barrier islands and Martian life.

Published Jan 31, 2021

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Bustling Persian Gulf at Night
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Bustling Persian Gulf at Night

City lights and shipping traffic mark one of the world’s major economic crossroads.

Published Jan 24, 2021

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From Automobiles to Armstrong
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From Automobiles to Armstrong

Cleveland’s urban layout has evolved as time and technology have advanced.

Published Jan 17, 2021

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Socked in Stratovolcano
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Socked in Stratovolcano

Uninhabited Atlasov Island rises above the clouds and the Sea of Okhotsk.

Published Jan 10, 2021

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El Bibane Lagoon
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El Bibane Lagoon

This portion of the Tunisian coast is a sheltering harbor for fish, shorebirds, and Mars-like life.

Published Dec 27, 2020

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New Year, New Horizon
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New Year, New Horizon

Astronauts will continue to photograph their home whether from low-Earth orbit or, as the Apollo astronauts once did, from the Moon.

Published Jan 1, 2021

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Newberry Volcano
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Newberry Volcano

In the 1960s, the caldera was used for geology field training for the Apollo astronauts.

Published Dec 20, 2020

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Noumea
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Noumea

The capital city is the economic and tourist hub of New Caledonia.

Published Dec 13, 2020

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Lighting the Edge of the Roof
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Lighting the Edge of the Roof

A sharp contrast in nighttime lights distinguishes the sparsely populated Tibetan Plateau from the fertile and densely inhabited Indo-Gangetic plain.

Published Dec 6, 2020

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Picturing Earth: Behind the Scenes
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Picturing Earth: Behind the Scenes

From their perch on the space station, astronauts have spent 20 years sharing a story about Earth as they see it from above. Like the directors of a film, those astronaut storytellers have a crew working behind the scenes to help them tell the story. Meet the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit.

Published Dec 1, 2020

Human Presence Remote Sensing Videos

Dust Over Seas
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Dust Over Seas

A plume of mineral-rich dust filled the skies over Cyprus and the Mediterranean on a summer’s day.

Published Nov 25, 2020

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African Dust Plume Blankets the Caribbean
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African Dust Plume Blankets the Caribbean

A towering thunder cloud stands at the intersection of moist tropical air and dry, dusty plumes.

Published Nov 22, 2020

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Capturing Wind on Maui
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Capturing Wind on Maui

Kaheawa Wind Power facilities provide 10 to 15 percent of this Hawaiian island’s electric power.

Published Nov 14, 2020

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Isthmus of Taravao, Tahiti
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Isthmus of Taravao, Tahiti

This island’s rugged topography and dense rainforest has led most of its inhabitants to live along the coastline.

Published Nov 7, 2020

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Picturing Earth: Window On The World
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Picturing Earth: Window On The World

From their home on the International Space Station, astronauts have a view unlike anything most of us will ever see. Over 20 years, they have shot millions of photographs of Earth, and it is not just a hobby. It is an important scientific job, and one they need to be trained to do. Learn more about the challenges of watching Earth from above.

Published Nov 2, 2020

Human Presence Remote Sensing Videos

La Sal’s Second Life
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La Sal’s Second Life

The Utah town moved, but the name moved with it.

Published Nov 1, 2020

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Fall Color in Ottawa
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Fall Color in Ottawa

Trees have long been cherished here for timber and for the colors they bring to “the Fall Rhapsody.”

Published Oct 24, 2020

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Turin Lights the Way Forward
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Turin Lights the Way Forward

Through Italy’s Smart Road Decree, the city was chosen as a test site for autonomous driving vehicles.

Published Oct 18, 2020

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Perspectives on a Dust Storm
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Perspectives on a Dust Storm

An astronaut captured distant and overhead views of a long plume blowing from Iraq across the Middle East.

Published Oct 11, 2020

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Airglow Over the Indian Ocean
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Airglow Over the Indian Ocean

The diffuse orange and green bands of light are caused by molecules in the atmosphere that have been energized by absorbing ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.

Published Oct 8, 2020

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Coloring the Great Salt Lake
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Coloring the Great Salt Lake

Colorful, mineral-rich salt flats are nestled between the Promontory Mountains and the Great Salt Lake.

Published Oct 4, 2020

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The Gambia
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The Gambia

The smallest country in mainland Africa hugs its namesake river.

Published Sep 27, 2020

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Cupola Over the Caribbean
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Cupola Over the Caribbean

Clouds trace the islands and color variations trace the seafloor.

Published Sep 20, 2020

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Moraleda Channel, Chile
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Moraleda Channel, Chile

Carved out by ancient glaciers, this portion of the coastal Andes is rich with glacial fjords, complex shorelines, active volcanoes, and marine life.

Published Sep 13, 2020

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Swirls in the Southern Caspian
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Swirls in the Southern Caspian

The inland sea in central Asia has a distinct circulation.

Published Sep 6, 2020

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