Astronaut Photography

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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Charleston, West Virginia
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Charleston, West Virginia

Nestled in a river valley in the Allegheny Mountains, the city first attracted weary travelers, who then stayed for the salt, trees, and coal.

Published Aug 30, 2020

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Lighthouse Reef and the Great Blue Hole
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Lighthouse Reef and the Great Blue Hole

This marine wonder off of Belize is rich with mystery and biodiversity.

Published Aug 23, 2020

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Aurora, Meet Airglow
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Aurora, Meet Airglow

The colors and altitude are often the same, but the atmospheric processes are different.

Published Aug 16, 2020

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Xiamen and Quanzhou
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Xiamen and Quanzhou

Bright lights of these coastal cities of China are sandwiched between mountains and the sea.

Published Aug 9, 2020

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Cooper Creek, Australia
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Cooper Creek, Australia

The combination of stable, ancient dunes and water channels displaying both braided and cross-connecting patterns make this region a planetary analogue for Mars.

Published Aug 2, 2020

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Death Valley Landscapes
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Death Valley Landscapes

The area is known for its extreme dryness and dangerous heat records. However, traces on the land indicate that water sometimes flows here.

Published Jul 26, 2020

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Comet NEOWISE Brightens the Night
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Comet NEOWISE Brightens the Night

In July 2020, sky gazers on Earth and on the International Space Station had a front row seat to one of the brightest comets in decades.

Published Jul 18, 2020

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