Dust Plumes over the Mediterranean Sea
Thick plumes dust plumes blew over the Mediterranean Sea off the coasts of Libya and Egypt in early April 2013 and spanned the sea’s eastern shoreline the following day, reaching as far north as Turkey.
Vortex west of Australia
A low pressure system floating above the Southern Ocean, west of Australia, that looks like a painting! Captured on March 3 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra Satellite. Image © NASA Worldview [NASA] Larger image via discovermagazine
Beijing’s Record-Breaking Air Pollution
Residents of Beijing and many other cities in China, facing a record-breaking air pollution, were warned to stay inside in mid-January 2013. It’s one of the worst periods of air quality in county’s recent history. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response. Caption by Mike Carlowicz.
Incredible images of Australian Wildfires
These incredible images of Australian Wildfires by International Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield, captures the scale and devastation that are now flaming parts of Australia. Image © NASA/Chris Hadfield
Snow-Covered Desert
Snow-Covered Desert are rare, but that’s exactly what’s happening at the Taklimakan Desert in western China. An observation by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite, as it passed over on Jan. 2, 2013. Image © NASA/Aqua
City Lights of Australia, or Not?
Two weeks ago, we published a new map of the Earth at night. Astute readers noticed lights in areas that were thought to be uninhabited. Many of those readers pointed to Western Australia and asked: How can there be so much light there? Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon
U.S. Fires 2012
2012 was an extraordinary year for wildfires in the United States. According to records maintained by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and NASA, show that more than 9.1 million acres had burned as of November 30, 2012—the third highest total in a record that dates back to 1960. NASA images by the Science Visualization Studio. Caption by Adam Voiland.
Bylot Island in Winter and Summer
In wintertime, snow and ice blanket the Bylot island in white, but in summertime, Bylot’s glaciers contrast with its earth-toned land cover. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response. Caption by Michon Scott.
Cloud Vortices off Saint Helena Island
These cloud vortices off Saint Helena Island, captured by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument) in NASA’s Terra satellite. It passed over the South Atlantic Ocean on Nov. 15, 2012. Image credit: NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team
Swirls along an Ice Highway
Swirls along an ice highway in the sea water off the east coast of Greenland, observed by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on October 17, 2012. NASA image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, LANCE MODIS Rapid Response Team at NASA GSFC.
