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Earth

Select images from NASA's Earth Observatory, a source for images, stories, and discoveries about the environment, Earth systems, and climate that emerge from NASA research, including its satellite missions, in-the-field research, and models.

Over tens of thousands of years, the cyclical advance and retreat of glaciers carved the distinctive U-shaped valley that now...
On February 8, 2025, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reported that Mount Etna had begun exhibiting “signs...
On February 8, 2025, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reported that Mount Etna had begun exhibiting “signs of unrest above its background level.” That’s unsurprising for the frequently unruly Sicilian peak, one of the most active stratovolcanoes in the world. But the fiery explosions, disruptive ash clouds, and long lava flows that ensued stood out as being unusually spectacular to many Etna watchers.
Winters are bitterly cold at “the roof of the world,” the high-altitude region of Asia that includes the Himalaya mountains....
Winters are bitterly cold at “the roof of the world,” the high-altitude region of Asia that includes the Himalaya mountains. And yet, on the glaciated landscape around Mount Everest, snow cover in recent winters has been limited to the mountains’ higher elevations. According to scientists tracking the region’s snow and ice, a combination of warmer and drier conditions has contributed to this upward creep of the winter snow line—the elevation at and above which seasonal snow persists on glacial ice. The shift has implications for regional water security and fire activity.
A small island at Tonga’s Home Reef got a little roomier in recent weeks. The underwater volcano emerged above sea...
A small island at Tonga’s Home Reef got a little roomier in recent weeks. The underwater volcano emerged above sea level during a 2022 eruption, adding new land to the nation of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It continued to grow during eruptions in September 2023, January 2024, and June 2024, expanding to 12.2 hectares (30.1 acres). During the most recent period of activity, from December 2024 to January 2025, the island grew another 3.7 hectares.
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photo of Mount Damavand (also spelled Demavend) in the Alborz Mountains...
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photo of Mount Damavand (also spelled Demavend) in the Alborz Mountains of northern Iran. Damavand is a dormant volcano with a cone much larger than the white snow-clad summit pictured here in early autumn 2024.
In the remote northwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, a dotted line of islands stretches between northern Japan and Russia’s...
In the remote northwest corner of the Pacific Ocean, a dotted line of islands stretches between northern Japan and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The Kuril Archipelago is sparsely populated by humans but riddled with volcanoes. The Zavaritskogo volcano (also called Zavaritskii) is a striking feature on Simushir Island, in the middle of the archipelago. It is made up of nested, steep-walled calderas surrounding a central lake. The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured these images of Zavaritskogo and its complex edifice on September 12, 2024.
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photograph of Tampa Bay, located along the west-central coast of Florida....
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this photograph of Tampa Bay, located along the west-central coast of Florida. It is the state’s largest open-water estuary, covering approximately 400 square miles (1,000 square kilometers). The photo shows the expanse of the bay, its connection to the Gulf of Mexico, and the surrounding urbanized land.
Between January 19 and 24, 2025, a brutal cold snap hit Chicago. This satellite image captured a glimpse of the...
Between January 19 and 24, 2025, a brutal cold snap hit Chicago. This satellite image captured a glimpse of the wintry aftermath. The first half of the cold spell saw the chilliest weather, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). On January 21, the air temperature in Chicago reached as low as minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 26 degrees Celsius). At the time, little to no snow covered the ground in Chicago, which NWS noted is uncommon amid sub-zero temperatures.
Hot, dry weather and strong winds fueled wildland fires in Baja California in late January 2025. Seasonal Santa Ana winds...
Hot, dry weather and strong winds fueled wildland fires in Baja California in late January 2025. Seasonal Santa Ana winds blew in from dry areas inland and accelerated down the Sierra Juarez mountain range, creating conditions where a few sparks and small brush fires could quickly escalate. The MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image of smoke streaming from a large fire in the El Escondido area of Ensenada on January 23, 2025. The image was captured at 1:44 p.m. Pacific Time (21:44 Universal Time).
Evidence of the fiery history of the Sáttítla Highlands in Northern California can be seen in every direction. Volcanism has...
Evidence of the fiery history of the Sáttítla Highlands in Northern California can be seen in every direction. Volcanism has shaped the landscape over the past million years, and remnants of lava flows and eruptions remain visible today.
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured a sequence of nighttime photos of the Greater Cairo region in Egypt....
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured a sequence of nighttime photos of the Greater Cairo region in Egypt. Four images were stitched together to create this panoramic scene stretching west and east of the Nile River.
Greenland is an icy place year-round, but the winter months bring extra whorls of white. This satellite image, captured on...
Greenland is an icy place year-round, but the winter months bring extra whorls of white. This satellite image, captured on February 24, 2025, shows the southern part of the island, from its snow-topped ice sheet and glaciers to the sea ice swirling along its coasts. The image was acquired by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra satellite.
Wintry weather arrived in full force in South Korea. In the last week of November 2024, a storm brought record-breaking...
Wintry weather arrived in full force in South Korea. In the last week of November 2024, a storm brought record-breaking accumulations of snow to Seoul. The heavy snow disrupted travel and damaged structures in the nation’s capital and surrounding areas.
Annual fires contributed to hazy skies over northern Pakistan and India, causing schools in some areas to close.
Annual fires contributed to hazy skies over northern Pakistan and India, causing schools in some areas to close.
After more than two months of quiet, a volcanic fissure once again burst open on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula on November...
After more than two months of quiet, a volcanic fissure once again burst open on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula on November 20, 2024. Lava from the eruption flowed across major roads and closed in on the Blue Lagoon, a popular tourist destination.