Antarctic Sea Ice Sees Record Low Growth  
Image of the Day Sep 27, 2023

Antarctic Sea Ice Sees Record Low Growth  

Satellite data shows that Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest maximum extent on record on September 10, 2023.
Ephemeral Arc Spans Greenland Fjord
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Ephemeral Arc Spans Greenland Fjord

Scientists have some ideas about what might have caused a thin arc that spanned a fjord in Western Greenland.  

Published Sep 26, 2023

Image of the Day Snow and Ice

Tracking Nightlights in Libya
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Tracking Nightlights in Libya

Cities and towns darkened after a cyclone unleashed torrential flooding along the country’s coast.

Published Sep 25, 2023

Image of the Day Human Presence

Shebelle River Floodplain
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Shebelle River Floodplain

Southeastern Ethiopia’s longest river supports the growth of green vegetation amid the otherwise brown, desert landscape.

Published Sep 24, 2023

Image of the Day Land

OSIRIS-REx Prepares to Return Asteroid Sample
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OSIRIS-REx Prepares to Return Asteroid Sample

Teams monitor weather and ground conditions in Utah’s West Desert, where a capsule containing a piece of space rock is expected to land.

Published Sep 23, 2023

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land

A Smoky Cloud Swirl
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A Smoky Cloud Swirl

Intense fires and a passing cold front led to the sprawling feature.

Published Sep 22, 2023

Image of the Day Atmosphere

Storm Aftermath in Derna, Libya
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Storm Aftermath in Derna, Libya

Flash floods in the port city destroyed roads and swept neighborhoods out to sea.

Published Sep 20, 2023

Image of the Day Land Water Floods Human Presence

Devastation in Morocco
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Devastation in Morocco

Communities in the High Atlas Mountains were among the hardest hit after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake caused widespread damage.

Published Sep 20, 2023

Image of the Day Land

September Puzzler
Earth Matters

September Puzzler

Your challenge is to tell us the location of the satellite image and why it is interesting.

Published Sep 19, 2023

Aerosol Size
Global Maps Jan 2005 — Sep 2016

Aerosol Size

Sea salt, volcanic ash, dust, wildfire smoke, and industrial pollution are types of airborne aerosols. Natural aerosols tend to be larger than human-made aerosols. These maps show when and where aerosols come from nature, humans, or both.

Atmosphere

Mussel Rafts of the Rías de Arousa
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Mussel Rafts of the Rías de Arousa

The estuarine inlets of Spain’s Galicia coast are some of the most productive places to grow mussels.

Published Sep 19, 2023

Image of the Day Water Human Presence

Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly
Global Maps Jun 2002 — Sep 2011

Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly

These maps depict how much hotter or cooler an ocean basin was compared to the long-term average. Temperature anomalies can indicate changes in ocean circulation or the arrival of patterns like El Niño and La Niña.

Heat Water

Blue Marble Next Generation
Article

Blue Marble Next Generation

12 months of high-resolution global true color satellite imagery.

Published Oct 13, 2005

Atmosphere Land Water Snow and Ice

Melting on Humboldt Glacier
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Melting on Humboldt Glacier

Unusual late-season melting in Greenland turned the glacier’s surface into a mishmash of ice, firn, melt, and dirt.

Published Sep 18, 2023

Image of the Day Snow and Ice

Peru’s Tropical Glaciers and Rainbow Mountains
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Peru’s Tropical Glaciers and Rainbow Mountains

The icy landscape high in the Andes is dotted with colorful glacial lakes and weathered rock.

Published Sep 17, 2023

Image of the Day Land Snow and Ice

Net Radiation
Global Maps Jul 2006 — Jan 2023

Net Radiation

Net radiation is the balance between incoming and outgoing energy at the top of the atmosphere. It is the total energy available to influence climate after light and heat are reflected, absorbed, or emitted by clouds and land.

Heat

Snow Cover
Global Maps Mar 2000 — Jan 2023

Snow Cover

Snow and ice influence climate by reflecting sunlight back into space. When it melts, snow is a source of water for drinking and vegetation; too much snowmelt can lead to floods. These maps show average snow cover by month.

Snow and Ice

Water Returns to Laguna de Aculeo
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Water Returns to Laguna de Aculeo

The drought in Chile isn’t over, but recent late-winter rains provided enough moisture for water to start pooling up again.

Published Sep 16, 2023

Image of the Day Life Water

Summer 2023 Was the Hottest on Record
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Summer 2023 Was the Hottest on Record

June, July, and August were 0.23°C (0.41°F) warmer than any other summer in NASA’s record.

Published Sep 14, 2023

Image of the Day Heat Temperature Extremes

Aerosol Optical Depth
Global Maps Mar 2000 — Aug 2023

Aerosol Optical Depth

Airborne aerosols can cause or prevent cloud formation and harm human health. These maps depict aerosol concentrations in the air based on how the tiny particles reflect or absorb visible and infrared light.

Atmosphere

Sea Surface Temperature
Global Maps Jul 2002 — Aug 2023

Sea Surface Temperature

Ocean temperatures can influence weather, such as hurricane formation, and climate patterns, such as El Niño. These maps show the temperature at the surface of the world’s seas and oceans.

Heat Water

Boreal Summer
Notes from the Field

Boreal Summer

Scientists returned to central Alaska's boreal forests to measure plant activity during the peak of summer.

Published Sep 12, 2023

Solar Activity

Temperature Extremes 2023
Article

Temperature Extremes 2023

Warmer-than-average temperatures are showing up locally and globally, with consequences for people, landscapes, and ecosystems.

Published Aug 15, 2023

Heat

Earth at Night
Article

Earth at Night

Satellite images of Earth at night have been a curiosity for the public and a tool of fundamental research for at least 25 years. They have provided a broad, beautiful picture, showing how humans have shaped the planet and lit up the darkness.

Published Apr 12, 2017

Atmosphere Land Human Presence Remote Sensing

North Atlantic Hurricane Season
Article

North Atlantic Hurricane Season

The 2023 season runs from June 1 to November 30, with peak activity generally occurring in September.

Published Jun 1, 2023

Atmosphere Remote Sensing

Fire Season in the Northern Hemisphere
Article

Fire Season in the Northern Hemisphere

Wildland fires in 2023 brought hazy skies and poor air quality to several countries north of the equator.

Published May 22, 2023

Atmosphere Land

How to Interpret a Satellite Image: Five Tips and Strategies
Article

How to Interpret a Satellite Image: Five Tips and Strategies

What do you do when presented with a new satellite image? Here's what the Earth Observatory team does to understand the view.

Published Nov 18, 2013

Remote Sensing

World of Change
Article

World of Change

NASA satellites document how our world—forests, oceans, human landscapes, even the Sun—changes over months, seasons, and years.

Published Apr 29, 2009

Atmosphere Heat Land Life Human Presence Snow and Ice

Mission: Biomes
Article

Mission: Biomes

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a different part of the world? What would the weather be like? What kinds of animals would you see? Which plants live there? By investigating these questions, you are learning about biomes.

Published Aug 28, 2020

Land Life

Food and Agriculture
Article

Food and Agriculture

From soil conditions to crop productivity, satellite data help inform farmers, scientists, and decision-makers in the U.S. and around the world.

Published Feb 28, 2023

Land

Winter from the International Space Station
Article

Winter from the International Space Station

Over the years, astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory have snapped spectacular photographs of Earth’s snow and ice in both hemispheres.

Published Dec 21, 2022

Snow and Ice

EO On This Day
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EO On This Day

In honor of our site anniversary, we offer a selection of some of the most beautiful, newsworthy, interesting, and scientifically important images from 23 years online — one image for each day of the calendar year.

Published Apr 26, 2022

Atmosphere Heat Land Life Water Snow and Ice