Earth Observatory Image of the Day

NASA's view of the Earth from the Earth Observatory.

Stuck on the seafloor for decades, Iceberg A-23A now freely drifts northward toward warmer, iceberg-destroying waters. Read the full story
NASA research finds that a combination of windblown dust and human-caused particle pollution was associated with nearly 3 million premature...
The fiery and icy upper reaches of the Antarctic volcano pierced through a canopy of clouds. Read the full story
A winter storm plowed across several U.S. states after Thanksgiving. Read the full story
The Alaskan city received record snowfall in November 2023. Read the full story
Fluid dynamics put on a spectacular show around Norway’s remote Bear Island. Read the full story
An unexpected color palette reveals the features of an iconic glacial landscape in southeastern Alaska. Read the full story
The causeway and its blocky “islands” off the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia make oil drilling possible in the region’s...
Ice cores and satellite images are helping preserve the history of a disappearing ice cap in the Peruvian Andes. Read...
Heavy rainfall in the Horn of Africa submerged entire towns in floodwater. Read the full story
Even with fewer fires than normal in fall 2023, poor air quality plagued the region. Read the full story
These freshwater tidal wetlands have been shaped by centuries of floods and the efforts to control them. Read the full...
A scientist spotted a jade hue in the sea ice fastened to the coast of East Antarctica. Read the full...
The white sands of Florida’s Emerald Coast beaches are primarily comprised of quartz grains from the southern Appalachian Mountains. Read...
Residents of the Australian opal-mining town of Coober Pedy beat the heat by living underground. Read the full story
A wet winter in western states provided a short-term reprieve to the decades-long drought in the reservoir. Read the full...
The extent of the Iraqi city has increased in recent decades, alongside rising water levels in nearby wetlands. Read the...
Flanked by mountain ranges on three sides, the basin in northwestern China sees frequent dust storms. Read the full story
Curtains of colorful light danced across the sky after solar storms sent energized particles crashing into Earth’s upper atmosphere. Read...
The Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington is the oldest continually operating retirement home for military personnel in the United...
Ancient geologic processes created a Saharan landscape full of contrasts. Read the full story
The eastern side of the Wasatch Range in autumn displays abundant reds and oranges, followed by vibrant yellows. Read the...
Record rainfall associated with Hurricane Hilary in August 2023 created a large temporary lake in Death Valley. Read the full...
One branch of Alaska’s Columbia Glacier seems to have retreated as far as it can, while the other still has...
Wind and rain from a powerful storm lashed Western Europe in early November, causing widespread flooding in central Italy. Read...
Heat and drought caused seasonal fires to flare up amidst rising rates of deforestation. Read the full story
Forests of maples and oaks show their brilliant autumn hues in northeast Ohio’s national park. Read the full story
The Parinacota and Pomerape volcanoes rise like twins along the Chile-Bolivia border, but close inspection reveals distinct differences in their...
Eurasia’s tallest active volcano spewed ash that drifted hundreds of kilometers. Read the full story
Researchers found that the depleted area of the ozone layer over the South Pole was slightly improved this year. Read...
Wind and rain from the ferocious hurricane damaged infrastructure and turned forests brown. Read the full story
Satellite observations show that students of color in the U.S. attend public schools with higher concentrations of air pollution than...
Past volcanic eruptions and salt deposits from present-day hot springs left this distinctive “face” in northern Chad. Read the full...
Shifting rainfall patterns are projected to leave millions of people without consistent access to food in late 2023 and early...
Despite their rusty color, these arteries of water in Bolivia and Madagascar are important for biodiversity. Read the full story
Thousands of endemic plant species flourish in one of the planet’s hottest biodiversity hotspots. Read the full story
Homes were destroyed by blazes in eastern Australia, fueled by unusually hot and dry conditions. Read the full story
Otis went from tropical storm to major hurricane in a matter of hours before barreling into Mexico’s Pacific Coast as...
A new system that draws upon active fire data from satellites is making it easier for scientists to track the...
The storm threatens to bring heavy rains to Yemen and Oman. Read the full story
Poor harvests stemming from a prolonged dry spell have exacerbated food insecurity in northeastern Uganda. Read the full story
Oblique photographs can provide a unique perspective on the planet’s topographic highs, including Europe’s most active volcano. Read the full...
Eruptions on Russia’s active Kamchatka Peninsula made for a dramatic display of steam, snow, and shadows. Read the full story
With an El Niño brewing in the Pacific, uncontrolled fires are burning beneath the canopy in some parts of the...
A storm brought wintry weather and the first significant snowfall of the season to the Rocky Mountains. Read the full...
The water level of the largest tributary of the Amazon River has hit a record low. Read the full story
As the Moon crossed between the Sun and Earth during the 2023 annular eclipse, its shadow darkened skies across the...
The seas around Florida, Cuba, and the Bahamas saw large accumulations of heat stress beginning in summer 2023, with implications...
The seas around Florida, Cuba, and the Bahamas saw large accumulations of heat stress beginning in summer 2023, with implications...
A patchwork of farmland along the Snake River abuts a flow of hardened lava. Read the full story
The cultural and political hub of El Salvador lies along the Central American Volcanic Arc. Read the full story
The sum of Earth's plants, on land and in the ocean, changes slightly from year to year as weather patterns...
A warm, dry September set the stage for increased fire risk in Australia. Read the full story
Dry conditions brought on by El Niño likely intensified the 2023 fire season, following several years of relative quiet. Read...
This animation highlights the density of black carbon particles—commonly called soot—in smoke as it moved across North America between September...
Lidia quickly strengthened from a tropical storm to a category 4 hurricane before making landfall near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Read...
The Alaskan tundra puts on a fleeting display of color before the snows fall and bears hibernate. Read the full...
June, July, and August were 0.23°C (0.41°F) warmer than any other summer in NASA’s record. Read the full story
Strong tides create laminar and turbulent flow patterns in waters off far eastern Russia. Read the full story
Intertidal flats, mangroves, and artificial islands surround the populous capital city of the United Arab Emirates. Read the full story
Wildland fires usually wind down in autumn, but this year they continued to rage into October. Read the full story
The powerful storm intensified as it tracked toward the island’s southern tip. Read the full story
An influx of nutrients in recent decades has contributed to the proliferation of algae in the large Canadian lake. Read...
Dry conditions brought on by El Niño likely intensified the 2023 fire season, following several years of relative quiet. Read...
An oblique-angle photo taken from above the Middle East captures the Moon peeking over Earth’s atmospheric limb. Read the full...
Indigenous people are protecting carbon-rich forests in South America, and satellites are helping. Read the full story
A few years after a fresh influx of water raised its levels, the large lake has nearly gone dry. Read...
Two decades of satellite measurements show that the sea surface is shading toward green. Read the full story
In September, low water levels made it more challenging to ship goods down the river and allowed a wedge of...
After passing the Antarctic Peninsula, Iceberg D-30A grazed the much smaller Clarence Island, spun around, and drifted north. Read the...
Satellite data shows that Arctic sea ice likely reached its annual minimum extent on September 19, 2023. Read the full...
Dust from the ephemeral Hamun wetlands streamed over parts of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in September. Read the full story
Satellite data shows that Antarctic sea ice reached its lowest maximum extent on record on September 10, 2023. Read the...
Cities and towns darkened after a cyclone unleashed torrential flooding along the country’s coast. Read the full story
Scientists have some ideas about what might have caused a thin arc that spanned a fjord in Western Greenland. Read...
Swirls of phytoplankton and sediment brightened Vancouver Island’s coastal waters in July 2023.
Following a slow start to the fire season, several blazes burned across the western U.S. in early August.
Lava is once again spilling from the volcano in southwest Iceland, only this time it is igniting moss fires. Read...
False-color images from Channel Country in the Australian Outback reveal a barren landscape transformed.
Ice breaking up off the Russian coast whirled at the whims of winds and currents.
Prolonged drought in Kansas set the stage for what may be one of the state’s smallest wheat harvests in decades.
A complex system of dunes displays an array of patterns in the Rub’ al Khali sand sea in southeast Saudi...
Protecting carbon stored in ecosystems could be a powerful tool in tackling climate change.
In Germany's smallest national park, European beech trees are perched atop precipitous chalk cliffs.
Infrastructure new and old glows across the Czech Republic's capital city.