The Best Shots of Earth NASA Took From Space in 2014



Plankton Blooms. Patagonian Coast, Argentina

Upwelling currents from the deep mix with dust from the continent and iron-rich water from the south to provide a feast for phytoplankton. These tiny creatures photosynthesize, and provide food for thriving fisheries. False-color image taken by the Suomi NPP satellite on Dec. 2. NASA



Plankton Blooms. Patagonian Coast, Argentina

Upwelling currents from the deep mix with dust from the continent and iron-rich water from the south to provide a feast for phytoplankton. These tiny creatures photosynthesize, and provide food for thriving fisheries. False-color image taken by the Suomi NPP satellite on Dec. 2.

NASA



Dust and Clouds Over the Sahara Desert

The Sahara contributes more dust to the atmosphere than any other desert. Saharan dust accounts for more than half the dust settling on the ocean and helps fertilize land in the Americas. In this image, taken by ESA astronaut Alex Gerst on the ISS on Sep. 8, the land surface is almost entirely obscured by dust. NASA



Dust and Clouds Over the Sahara Desert

The Sahara contributes more dust to the atmosphere than any other desert. Saharan dust accounts for more than half the dust settling on the ocean and helps fertilize land in the Americas. In this image, taken by ESA astronaut Alex Gerst on the ISS on Sep. 8, the land surface is almost entirely obscured by dust.

NASA



Tornado Tracks, Northeast Nebraska

On June 16, five tornadoes struck northeastern Nebraska. The tracks of two of these storms can be seen as brown swaths, one heading right through the town of Pilger, in this false-color image taken by the Terra satellite on June 21. Jesse Allen/NASA



Tornado Tracks, Northeast Nebraska

On June 16, five tornadoes struck northeastern Nebraska. The tracks of two of these storms can be seen as brown swaths, one heading right through the town of Pilger, in this false-color image taken by the Terra satellite on June 21.

Jesse Allen/NASA



Haze in the Kashmir Valley, South Asia

Ringed by mountains, the Kashmir valley is an effective trap for smoke and air pollution from charcoal and biomass burning. True-color image taken by the Terra satellite on Dec. 5. Jeff Schmaltz/NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response



Haze in the Kashmir Valley, South Asia

Ringed by mountains, the Kashmir valley is an effective trap for smoke and air pollution from charcoal and biomass burning. True-color image taken by the Terra satellite on Dec. 5.

Jeff Schmaltz/NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response



Holuhraun Eruption, Iceland

Iceland is one of the most volcanic places on Earth. This year, lava has been pouring out of the Holuhraun lava field between Badarbunga and Askja volcanoes, making for a spectacular show, especially as seen close up by a drone. But it's also impressive from space, as shown in this false-color image taken Sep. 6 by the Landsat 8 satellite. Jesse Allen/NASA/USGS



Holuhraun Eruption, Iceland

Iceland is one of the most volcanic places on Earth. This year, lava has been pouring out of the Holuhraun lava field between Badarbunga and Askja volcanoes, making for a spectacular show, especially as seen close up by a drone. But it's also impressive from space, as shown in this false-color image taken Sep. 6 by the Landsat 8 satellite.

Jesse Allen/NASA/USGS



Hurricane Edouard, Atlantic Ocean

Shown here about midway between Africa, North America and Europe, Hurricane Edouard was the fourth Atlantic hurricane of the season. It never threatened any land, but made for a great natural laboratory for NASA. This true-color image was taken by NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman from the ISS on Sep. 16. NASA



Hurricane Edouard, Atlantic Ocean

Shown here about midway between Africa, North America and Europe, Hurricane Edouard was the fourth Atlantic hurricane of the season. It never threatened any land, but made for a great natural laboratory for NASA. This true-color image was taken by NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman from the ISS on Sep. 16.

NASA



Earth, Eastern Hemisphere

Part of NASA's Blue Marble collection, this image is a composite built from images taken during eight orbits by the Suomi NPP satellite on March 30. Robert Simmon/NASA Earth Observatory/NOAA




Robert Simmon/NASA Earth Observatory/NOAA



Venice Lagoon

Astronaut photos such as this one, taken from aboard the ISS on May 9, are used to monitor the Venice Lagoon. The fragile lagoon is protected from the Adriatic Sea by a narrow barrier island. NASA



Venice Lagoon

Astronaut photos such as this one, taken from aboard the ISS on May 9, are used to monitor the Venice Lagoon. The fragile lagoon is protected from the Adriatic Sea by a narrow barrier island.

NASA



Sea Ice, Greenland Sea

The waters of the coast of Greenland are covered in a beautiful, swirly pattern of sea ice in this true-color image taken by the Aqua satellite on Aug. 18. Jeff Schmaltz/NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team



Sea Ice, Greenland Sea

The waters of the coast of Greenland are covered in a beautiful, swirly pattern of sea ice in this true-color image taken by the Aqua satellite on Aug. 18.

Jeff Schmaltz/NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team



Gulf of Alaska

This beautiful image of the North Pacific Ocean and the Alaskan coast is a composite made from images taken on several orbits by the Aqua satellite on May 2. Norman Kuring/NASA



Gulf of Alaska

This beautiful image of the North Pacific Ocean and the Alaskan coast is a composite made from images taken on several orbits by the Aqua satellite on May 2.

Norman Kuring/NASA



Funny River Fire, Alaska

Between May 19 and 21, the Funny River fire burned around 43,000 acres on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. You can see big, fluffy pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which sometimes occur over fires and volcanic eruptions, in this image taken on May 20 by the Landsat 8 satellite. Jesse Allen/NASA/USGS



Funny River Fire, Alaska

Between May 19 and 21, the Funny River fire burned around 43,000 acres on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. You can see big, fluffy pyrocumulonimbus clouds, which sometimes occur over fires and volcanic eruptions, in this image taken on May 20 by the Landsat 8 satellite.

Jesse Allen/NASA/USGS



Green River, Utah

This stretch of the Green River in eastern Utah is known as the Bowknot Bend for obvious reasons. This image was taken by an astronaut aboard the ISS on Jan 22. NASA



Green River, Utah

This stretch of the Green River in eastern Utah is known as the Bowknot Bend for obvious reasons. This image was taken by an astronaut aboard the ISS on Jan 22.

NASA



Typhoon Neoguri in Moonlight, Pacific Ocean

This storm was imaged near Japan by the Suomi NPP satellite's special day-night band on the night of July 8. Jesse Allen/NASA



Typhoon Neoguri in Moonlight, Pacific Ocean

This storm was imaged near Japan by the Suomi NPP satellite's special day-night band on the night of July 8.

Jesse Allen/NASA



Colorado River, Mexico

On Mar. 23, an experiment began that sent 130 million cubic meters of water into the Colorado River over eight weeks. Though it's only 1 percent of what flowed naturally in the river before it was dammed, it was hoped the water would recharge groundwater systems and restore habitats. This image was taken Apr. 16 by the Landsat 8 satellite. Robert Simmon/NASA/USGS



Colorado River, Mexico

On Mar. 23, an experiment began that sent 130 million cubic meters of water into the Colorado River over eight weeks. Though it's only 1 percent of what flowed naturally in the river before it was dammed, it was hoped the water would recharge groundwater systems and restore habitats. This image was taken Apr. 16 by the Landsat 8 satellite.

Robert Simmon/NASA/USGS



South Sandwich Islands

Beautiful cloud wakes have formed behind the South Sandwich Islands in this natural-color image taken by the Aqua satellite on May 1. Island mountains disturb the otherwise fairly uniform airflow over the ocean creating v-shapes in the clouds. The stripes in the wakes are the crests and troughs of the the air flow. Jeff Schmaltz/NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response



South Sandwich Islands

Beautiful cloud wakes have formed behind the South Sandwich Islands in this natural-color image taken by the Aqua satellite on May 1. Island mountains disturb the otherwise fairly uniform airflow over the ocean creating v-shapes in the clouds. The stripes in the wakes are the crests and troughs of the the air flow.

Jeff Schmaltz/NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response



Grand Canyon, Arizona

This image of the Grand Canyon was taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station on March 25. NASA



Grand Canyon, Arizona

This image of the Grand Canyon was taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station on March 25.

NASA



Saharan Dust Across the Atlantic Ocean

Dust from the Saraha desert is shown flowing across the Atlantic Ocean toward South America in this composite image taken by the Suomi NPP satellite on June 25. Minerals in the dust provide critical fertilization for the Amazon. Norman Kuring/NASA



Saharan Dust Across the Atlantic Ocean

Dust from the Saraha desert is shown flowing across the Atlantic Ocean toward South America in this composite image taken by the Suomi NPP satellite on June 25. Minerals in the dust provide critical fertilization for the Amazon.

Norman Kuring/NASA



Sochi, Russia

The best view of the Olympics is sometimes from space. The Olympic flame burns in the circular Medals Plaza in Sochi in this image taken by astronauts aboard the ISS on Feb. 10. NASA



Sochi, Russia

The best view of the Olympics is sometimes from space. The Olympic flame burns in the circular Medals Plaza in Sochi in this image taken by astronauts aboard the ISS on Feb. 10.

NASA



Kavir Desert, Iran

The lack of vegetation in the Kavir Desert beautifully exposes the geology of the area. The stripes and swirls are layers of rock that have been folded and deformed by tectonic forces and flattened by wind erosion over time. This image was taken by an astronaut aboard the ISS on Feb. 14. NASA



Kavir Desert, Iran

The lack of vegetation in the Kavir Desert beautifully exposes the geology of the area. The stripes and swirls are layers of rock that have been folded and deformed by tectonic forces and flattened by wind erosion over time. This image was taken by an astronaut aboard the ISS on Feb. 14.

NASA



The Great Lakes

This winter, the Great Lakes were covered with the second largest extent of ice in history. This natural-color image was taken on Feb. 19 by the Aqua satellite when 80.3 percent of the lakes were covered in ice. Jeff Schmaltz/NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team



The Great Lakes

This winter, the Great Lakes were covered with the second largest extent of ice in history. This natural-color image was taken on Feb. 19 by the Aqua satellite when 80.3 percent of the lakes were covered in ice.

Jeff Schmaltz/NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS MODIS Rapid Response Team



San Miguel Volcano, El Salvador

Ash from an eruption in December 2013 can be seen on the flanks of El Salvador's San Miguel volcano in this image taken by the EO-1 satellite on Jan. 15. Jesse Allen/Robert Simmon/NASA



San Miguel Volcano, El Salvador

Ash from an eruption in December 2013 can be seen on the flanks of El Salvador's San Miguel volcano in this image taken by the EO-1 satellite on Jan. 15.

Jesse Allen/Robert Simmon/NASA



Arkansas River, North Little Rock, Arkansas

Some of the Arkansas River's old meanders can be seen in this image, taken by astronauts aboard the ISS on Feb. 21. The meanders represent a time when the river was allowed to flow freely over the Mississippi River's floodplain. NASA



Arkansas River, North Little Rock, Arkansas

Some of the Arkansas River's old meanders can be seen in this image, taken by astronauts aboard the ISS on Feb. 21. The meanders represent a time when the river was allowed to flow freely over the Mississippi River's floodplain.

NASA



Nishino-Shima Island, Western Pacific Ocean

This image of a new volcanic island that sprouted near Japan in December 2013 was taken by the Landsat 8 satellite on Aug 21. The island has continued to grow, swallowing up another new island next to it. Jesse Allen/NASA/USGS



Nishino-Shima Island, Western Pacific Ocean

This image of a new volcanic island that sprouted near Japan in December 2013 was taken by the Landsat 8 satellite on Aug 21. The island has continued to grow, swallowing up another new island next to it.

Jesse Allen/NASA/USGS



Lake Sharpe, South Dakota

Circular agricultural fields stand out on the land in the center of Lake Sharpe, which is actually a deep meander in the Mississippi River in South Dakota. Eventually, it may be come an actual oxbow lake if the river cuts it off at the neck and takes a more direct route. This image was taken on Dec. 26, 2013 by an astronaut aboard the ISS. NASA



Lake Sharpe, South Dakota

Circular agricultural fields stand out on the land in the center of Lake Sharpe, which is actually a deep meander in the Mississippi River in South Dakota. Eventually, it may be come an actual oxbow lake if the river cuts it off at the neck and takes a more direct route. This image was taken on Dec. 26, 2013 by an astronaut aboard the ISS.

NASA



Russia at Night

The thin green line of the aurora borealis can be seen along with the moon above Russia in this image taken by a astronaut aboard the ISS on April 2. NASA



Russia at Night

The thin green line of the aurora borealis can be seen along with the moon above Russia in this image taken by a astronaut aboard the ISS on April 2.

NASA



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