Astronaut Photography

Chachani Volcano, Andes Mountains
Image

Chachani Volcano, Andes Mountains

The dormant volcano in Southern Peru is a complex mix of structures.

Published May 1, 2022

Image of the Day Land Remote Sensing

Change and Preservation Around Paranapanema
Image

Change and Preservation Around Paranapanema

Human activity and natural beauty merge in south-central Brazil.

Published Apr 24, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water

Brahmaputra River, Northeast India
Image

Brahmaputra River, Northeast India

One of Asia’s largest rivers carves the landscape and people carve a living from its floodplain.

Published Apr 17, 2022

Image of the Day Land

Watercolors of Torrevieja
Image

Watercolors of Torrevieja

The Spanish port town is bathed in a colorful palette.

Published Apr 10, 2022

Image of the Day Water

Close-Up of Mount Everest
Image

Close-Up of Mount Everest

The highest mountain on Earth takes on a different perspective from the vantage point of space.

Published Mar 26, 2022

Image of the Day Land

San Luis Valley
Image

San Luis Valley

The region has been home to Native Americans for centuries, and a periodic training spot for astronauts for five decades.

Published Mar 20, 2022

Image of the Day Land

Agriculture Fans Out in Turkmenistan
Image

Agriculture Fans Out in Turkmenistan

Fed by mountain streams and a canal, the Murgab and Tedzhen fans are irrigated farming oases in arid Central Asia.

Published Mar 12, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water

Flying Over Furneaux
Image

Flying Over Furneaux

The island chain was once part of a land bridge connecting Tasmania to mainland Australia.

Published Mar 6, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water

The Spine of South Island
Image

The Spine of South Island

New Zealand’s Southern Alps rise high above the landscape and influence the weather around them.

Published Feb 26, 2022

Image of the Day Atmosphere Land

Cloudscape at Dawn, Northwest Atlantic
Image

Cloudscape at Dawn, Northwest Atlantic

Looking toward the rising Sun, an external camera on the ISS was able to capture the details of rising cumulus clouds.

Published Feb 21, 2022

Image of the Day Atmosphere

Heart-shaped Oasis
Image

Heart-shaped Oasis

This area of Egypt has supported human life for more than 8,000 years.

Published Feb 14, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water Human Presence

Maiao Atoll, Polynesia
Image

Maiao Atoll, Polynesia

The tiny Society Islands stand out as land oases amid the largest expanse of water on Earth.

Published Feb 6, 2022

Image of the Day Land Human Presence

Yellow Sea Night Lights
Image

Yellow Sea Night Lights

Aggregations of fishing boats can make it seem like there are cities in the water.

Published Jan 30, 2022

Image of the Day Water Human Presence

Winter on the Roof of the World
Image

Winter on the Roof of the World

With an average elevation of 4500 meters above sea level, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is one of Earth’s highest geographic features.

Published Jan 23, 2022

Image of the Day Land

Two Decades of Change at Toshka Lakes
Image

Two Decades of Change at Toshka Lakes

The rise and fall of these basins depend on fluctuations in the flow of the Nile River.

Published Jan 18, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water

Snowy Scene Surrounding the Salish Sea
Image

Snowy Scene Surrounding the Salish Sea

After a rainy autumn, winter weather arrived in the Pacific Northwest.

Published Jan 7, 2022

Image of the Day Land Water Severe Storms Human Presence

Lunar Views and Beyond
Image

Lunar Views and Beyond

Astronauts traveling within Earth’s largest artificial satellite can capture unique shots of the planet’s only natural satellite.

Published Dec 31, 2021

Image of the Day Atmosphere

Otherworldly Earth
Image

Otherworldly Earth

The Libyan Desert is often cited as a Mars analogue.

Published Dec 26, 2021

Image of the Day Land

The Braided Paraná
Image

The Braided Paraná

South America’s second-longest river forms part of the border between Argentina and Paraguay.

Published Dec 19, 2021

Image of the Day Land Water

North Patagonia Icefield, Southern Andes
Image

North Patagonia Icefield, Southern Andes

The mountain peaks here reach high enough and temperatures remain cold enough year-round that permanent ice persists amid a warming world.

Published Dec 12, 2021

Image of the Day Land Water Snow and Ice

Lake Berryessa
Image

Lake Berryessa

The reservoir provides water for Napa wine country and for cities in Northern California.

Published Dec 5, 2021

Image of the Day Land Water

Indonesia’s Twin Peaks
Image

Indonesia’s Twin Peaks

Mount Sundoro and Mount Sumbing are symmetrical, cone-shaped peaks in Central Java.

Published Nov 27, 2021

Image of the Day Land

Paleozoic Plymouths
Image

Paleozoic Plymouths

Plymouth, Massachusetts, and Plymouth, England, share a historical connection even older than the first Thanksgiving.

Published Nov 25, 2021

Image of the Day Land

An Ice Tongue Reaching for Land
Image

An Ice Tongue Reaching for Land

Perito Moreno is one of the few glaciers on Earth that are not retreating.

Published Nov 21, 2021

Image of the Day Land Water Snow and Ice

Rocking the Isles of Scilly
Image

Rocking the Isles of Scilly

Shallow rock formations and sandbars allow people to occasionally walk between the islands.

Published Nov 14, 2021

Image of the Day Land Water Human Presence

Shedding Light on Urban Development
Image

Shedding Light on Urban Development

Cities seem to follow similar growth processes no matter where they are.

Published Nov 15, 2021

Image of the Day Human Presence

Cloudscapes over Sumatra
Image

Cloudscapes over Sumatra

Moist ocean air and steady winds pile up thunderheads and anvil clouds around Indonesia.

Published Nov 7, 2021

Image of the Day Atmosphere

Western Coastline of Greece
Image

Western Coastline of Greece

Rugged mountains and islands stand out in this tectonically active region.

Published Oct 30, 2021

Image of the Day Land Water

Palma, Mallorca
Image

Palma, Mallorca

The city has a rich history that has been influenced by the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Moors.

Published Oct 24, 2021

Image of the Day Land Human Presence

Folds of the Bighorn Basin
Image

Folds of the Bighorn Basin

Red rocks and complex geology are distinctive features of this physiographic region in Wyoming and Montana.

Published Oct 17, 2021

Image of the Day Land