In the past three decades, Quito’s urban area has more than quadrupled.
Published Sep 30, 2019
The developed areas of Brasília and its satellite cities are clearly outlined by street grids and highway lights in this astronaut photograph taken from the International Space Station.
Published Jan 31, 2011
Croplands and grasslands around New Delhi are being converted into city structures to create one of the fastest urban expansions in the world.
Published Sep 27, 2018
Buenos Aires is one of the larger cities seen by orbiting crews. Twelve million people, almost one third of all Argentines, live in this city, often called the “Paris of the South”.
Published Mar 16, 2003
City lights trace the outline of Italy's “boot” and the island of Sicily.
Published Jul 4, 2011
The city of Seoul (originally known as Hanyang) has been the capital of Korea for more than 600 years. This astronaut photograph illustrates the Seoul urban area at night. Major roadways and river courses (such as the Han River) are clearly outlined by street lights, while the brightest lights indicate the downtown urban core (center of image) and large industrial complexes. One such complex is located at the far left of the image and occupies an island in the Yellow Sea. Very dark regions in the image are mountains or large bodies of water. Nighttime images have been used extensively in urban climate and urban growth research to map the extent of urban (bright) versus rural (dark) regions.
Published Jan 10, 2005
The bright lights of Shanghai’s city center and the distinctive new skyscrapers that form the skyline along the Pudong district make for spectacular night viewing from space.
Published Apr 16, 2012
Nearly 10 percent of Brazil’s population lives in São Paulo, which ranks as the tenth largest city in the world.
Published Jul 9, 2014
Explosive urban growth is documented in this pair of images of Tehran from 1985 and 2009.
Published Nov 20, 2009
Coastal cities flourish amidst a more moderate climate along the Red Sea.
Published Aug 12, 2013
Satellite data reveals increases in December holiday lighting in the United States, mostly in the suburbs.
Published Dec 17, 2014Image of the Day Unique Imagery Human Presence Remote Sensing
Several of the oldest cities of northwestern Europe are highlighted in this nighttime astronaut photograph from August 10, 2011.
Published Aug 29, 2011
