A Raging Fire in Spain
Image of the Day Mar 31, 2023

A Raging Fire in Spain

The 2023 fire season got off to an early start with a major fire in the Castellon province.
Putting the Red in “Red Tide”
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Putting the Red in “Red Tide”

Scientists developed a way to detect the fine-scale features of harmful algae blooms that occur close to beaches and inside small bays.

Published Mar 30, 2023

Image of the Day Water

March Puzzler
Earth Matters

March Puzzler

Your challenge is to use the comments section to tell us where it is, what we are looking at, and why it is interesting.

Published Mar 28, 2023

Water-Tracking Satellite Reveals First Views
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Water-Tracking Satellite Reveals First Views

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission has sent back some of its first glimpses of water on Earth’s surface, including a detailed view of the Gulf Stream.

Published Mar 28, 2023

Image of the Day Remote Sensing

Lava and Snow in Hawai’i
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Lava and Snow in Hawai’i

A winter storm in December 2022 dropped snow over Mauna Kea and the recently erupted Mauna Loa.

Published Mar 26, 2023

Image of the Day Land Water

Triassic Parks
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Triassic Parks

Fossils found in this region of Argentina have been key to understanding the origins and behaviors of mammals and dinosaurs.

Published Mar 25, 2023

Image of the Day Land

A Dusty Day in Northeastern China
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A Dusty Day in Northeastern China

A low-pressure system lifted sand and dust from the Gobi Desert and darkened skies in Beijing.

Published Mar 24, 2023

Image of the Day Land Dust and Haze

Thriving With Fires
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Thriving With Fires

Frequent fires in the pine forests in the southeastern United States enable trees and other wildlife to flourish.

Published Mar 24, 2023

Image of the Day Land Life Remote Sensing

Sunny Days in Morocco’s Ouarzazate Basin
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Sunny Days in Morocco’s Ouarzazate Basin

The dry, sunny basin is the site of a solar power station that supplies electricity to nearly 2 million Moroccans.

Published Mar 23, 2023

Image of the Day Land Human Presence

Arctic Sea Ice Below Average in Winter 2023
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Arctic Sea Ice Below Average in Winter 2023

The end-of-winter sea ice extent in March 2023 was the fifth lowest in the satellite record.

Published Mar 22, 2023

Image of the Day Snow and Ice

Freddy Delivers Another Blow
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Freddy Delivers Another Blow

The storm’s arrival in Malawi and Mozambique unleashed destructive floods and mudslides.

Published Mar 20, 2023

Image of the Day Land Water Severe Storms Human Presence

Fire
Global Maps Mar 2000 — Jan 2023

Fire

Whether started by humans (farming, logging, or accidents) or by nature (lightning), fires are always burning somewhere on Earth. These maps show the locations of fires burning around the world each month.

Land

The Widening of Neptune Pass
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The Widening of Neptune Pass

The pass now has a flow five times that of New York’s Hudson River.

Published Mar 20, 2023

Image of the Day Water

Evaporation from Laguna Ojo de Liebre
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Evaporation from Laguna Ojo de Liebre

An astronaut spotted colorful evaporation ponds in Mexico while in orbit over the Baja Peninsula.

Published Mar 19, 2023

Image of the Day Land Water

Precipitation Piles on in California
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Precipitation Piles on in California

Successive atmospheric rivers in March dropped even more rain and snow throughout the state.

Published Mar 17, 2023

Image of the Day Water Severe Storms Human Presence

Net Primary Productivity
Global Maps Feb 2000 — Nov 2016

Net Primary Productivity

These maps show the ‘metabolism” of Earth’s plants and trees. Net primary productivity is the difference between the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed during photosynthesis minus the amount released by respiration.

Land Life

Land Surface Temperature
Global Maps Feb 2000 — Nov 2022

Land Surface Temperature

Land surface temperatures rise and fall with the heat of the Sun, and they represent how hot or cold the surface would feel to touch. These maps show daytime land temperatures as measured from space.

Heat 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

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

Chlorophyll
Global Maps Jul 2002 — Nov 2022

Chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is used by algae and other phytoplankton--the grass of the sea--to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into sugars. These maps show chlorophyll concentrations in the ocean, revealing where phytoplankton are thriving.

Life Water

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

Tournament Earth: Elemental Edition—Finals
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Tournament Earth: Elemental Edition—Finals

For the third time in a decade, the winner hails from the Canary Islands.

Published Mar 1, 2022

Human Presence Remote Sensing

World of Change
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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

Land Surface Temperature Anomaly
Global Maps Feb 2000 — Nov 2022

Land Surface Temperature Anomaly

These maps depict anomalies in land surface temperatures (LSTs); that is, how much hotter or cooler a region was compared to the long-term average. LST anomalies can indicate heat waves or cold spells.

Heat Land

Fall Colors Around the Planet
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Fall Colors Around the Planet

As green chlorophyll fades from trees and plants each autumn, other pigments color Earth’s landscapes. Satellites take leaf-peeping to a whole new level.

Published Oct 26, 2021

Land Life

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

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

How to Interpret a Satellite Image: Five Tips and Strategies
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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

Carbon Monoxide
Global Maps Mar 2000 — Sep 2022

Carbon Monoxide

When fuels such as coal, wood, and oil burn incompletely, they produce carbon monoxide. The gas is spread by winds and circulation. These maps show monthly averages of CO in the lower atmosphere.

Atmosphere

NASA Earth Observatory Goes to the Beach
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NASA Earth Observatory Goes to the Beach

Summer is beach season in the northern hemisphere. But even if you're a regular at your local swimming hole, you probably haven't seen too many beaches from this perspective. See the satellite and space-station views of various shorelines from across the United States. No sunblock necessary.

Published Jul 22, 2021

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