Following a volcano eruption that occurred in the Red Sea in December 2011, satellite images reveal what appears to be a new island where there previously was an unbroken water surface. According to news reports, fishermen witnessed lava fountains reaching up to 30 meters (90 feet) tall on Dec. 19.
Lisbon and Madrid Glow Brightly in the Dark
The city lights of Spain and Portugal define the Iberian Peninsula in this night-time photograph from the International Space Station. Several large metropolitan areas are visible, marked by their relatively large and brightly lit areas.
Holiday Clouds Swirl Over the Indian Ocean
As citizens of northern countries ponder sculpted snow and ice, the summer skies over the southern oceans offered their own vision in white in November 2011. The brush strokes of bright holiday swirls were made by winds and atmospheric eddies moving over the far southern reaches of the Indian Ocean.
Dust Storm Stirs up Argentina
This striking image from the International Space Station captures the beauty and power of nature in motion. A panoramic, oblique view of eastern Argentina and its coastline shows a large plume of dust swirling outward from the interior to the Atlantic Ocean.
Hovering on a Layered Horizon
When observed from space, the layers of Earth's atmosphere remind us of the fragility of the cocoon that shelters life on our planet. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station captured a bit of both in this digital photograph acquired July 31, 2011, with the moon thrown in as an extra gift.
African Volcano Spews Spectacular Steam Cloud
On Nov. 6, 2011, after more than a year of relative peace, the Nyamuragira volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo surged to life. Lava erupted spectacularly from a fissure low on one of the volcano’s flanks and spilled northward, away from populated areas. This NASA EO-1 image shows billowing, blue-tinged steam clouds rising above the superheated fissure and lava-bathed landscape.
Satellite Images Illustrate Dubai's Rise
A nation long synonymous with big oil, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become the land of the tallest skyscrapers, largest Starbucks and world's only artificial archipelago. UAE and surrounding nations are expected to spend an additional staggering $600 billion on construction projects by 2015. Nowhere is such growth more evident than the city of Dubai. This short video comprises WorldView-2 and QuickBird time-series satellite imagery to chronicle Dubai's remarkable transformation.
Shades of Green Adorn North Sea
In late October 2011, the North Sea sported meandering bands comprising multiple shades of green off the coasts of Denmark and Germany. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on NASA's Aqua satellite captured this natural-color image of the region on Oct. 23, 2011.
Atmospheric Science Explains an Ageless Inspiration
The sight of shafts of light streaming down from the heavens through a layer of clouds has inspired centuries of artists, scientists and philosophers. Atmospheric scientists describe this phenomenon with the term crepuscular rays, referring to the typical sunrise or sunset observation times. Enjoy this unique perspective from the International Space Station!
Night Lights Glimmer from Above and Below
The creative minds of the astronauts aboard the International Space Station are always on the alert for a great photograph of Earth, and this one doesn't disappoint. This night image of the Midwestern United States has it all”city and suburban lights below, the green glow of the aurora borealis above. You can even see lightning from an East Coast storm!
