Satellite imagery provides a unique perspective on our planet and can encompass a wide range of different scientific disciplines including climate change, weather, volcanic eruptions and even animal behavior. Every week, we take a bird's eye view of Earth, and see how it affects the people living on it.
See more stunning pictures of Earth
Latest about Earth from space
Giant 'chessboard' surrounds Idaho river in bizarre astronaut photo
Earth from space A 2017 astronaut photo shows an unusual checkered pattern surrounding a river, just south of the Canadian border. The unique sight is the result of a forest management initiative dating to the 1800s.
Giant sandy 'slug' crawls through floodplains in Kazakhstan, but it could soon be frozen in place
Earth from space A 2022 astronaut photo shows a peculiar, slug-shaped dune field in the heart of the Kazakh Steppe. Signs of vegetation among the sand suggest these dunes are in the process of being fixed in place.
Rare milky plumes paint stunning swirls in world's largest 'soda lake'
Earth from space A 2016 astronaut photo shows surprising plumes of milky material swirling in the waters of Turkey's Lake Van, the largest alkaline lake on Earth.
Supervolcanic 'hell' caldera in Japan is home to 17 different volcanoes
Earth from space A 2012 astronaut photo shows the striking beauty of Japan's Aso Caldera, a "supervolcanic" structure home to more than a dozen volcanoes and "hellish" hot springs. It was formed by several major eruptions spanning more than 200,000 years.
10 bizarre 'dark voids' appear in the skies over uninhabited island near Antarctica
Earth from space A 2016 satellite photo shows nearly a dozen swirling dark spots that emerged in the clouds over Heard Island in the Indian Ocean.
Lake-filled impact crater in Africa transforms into a giant silver 'mirror' via rare phenomenon
Earth from space A 2024 astronaut photo shows a rare "sunglint" shining off Lake Iro and a nearby zig-zagging river in Chad. The shimmering bodies of water were likely both shaped by an ancient meteor impact.
'Ghost island' appears after underwater eruption, then vanishes into the Caspian Sea
Earth from space A series of photos taken between 2022 and 2024 shows the emergence and rapid disappearance of a volcanic "ghost island" off the coast of Azerbaijan.
Trio of stripy glaciers merging in 'Earth's highest battleground' are part of a major anomaly scientists don't fully understand
Earth from space This 2023 astronaut photo shows three glaciers merging into a single massive ice mass in the Karakoram mountains. The stripy glaciers have gained ice in recent decades, despite the effects of human-caused climate change.
Russian volcano grows 'devil horns' and spits out 1,000-mile-long river of smoke
Earth from space A false-color satellite photo from 2023 shows a devilish pair of lava flows and an enormous plume of smoke spewing from Klyuchevskoy, the tallest volcano in Europe and Asia.
Perfect trio of prehistoric atolls shine like tropical gems off Australian coast
Earth from space This 2011 astronaut photo shows the atolls of Rowley Shoals lined up in a near-perfect line off the coast of Australia. The island trio was once part of an ancient barrier reef system that stretched over 1,200 miles.
