Nature

Beautiful Earth Observatory Photographs

03/05/201210/23/2019 by Viola

The Earth Observatory Photographs
Launched by NASA’s Earth Observing System Project Science Office (EOSPSO) website “The Earth Observatory” has published a wide collection of stunning photographs. In fact, they bring together imagery from many different satellites and astronaut missions. In addition, the website publishes fantastic images with highly detailed descriptions, feature articles and more. Meanwhile, gathered here – are some standout photographs from the collections in the Earth Observatory over the past several years.

Earth Observatory Photographs Alaska — The Bear Glacier on the Kenai Peninsula along the Gulf of Alaska seen by the IKONOS satellite took this on August 8, 2005

The ablation zone where the glacier is primarily losing ice. In particular, as a glacier moves, it picks up dirt and debris from the rocks it passes. And when two glaciers merge, as they have here, the dirt and debris they carry form parallel stripes, or medial moraines, on the ice surface.

Sidi Toui National Park, Earth Observatory Photographs — Sidi Toui National Park, in the southern half of Tunisia

Native vegetation returning inside the borders of this protected park (approx. 7 kilometers wide), established in 1993 to protect the region against desertification. The effects of continued agriculture, overgrazing and drought – seen on the surrounding arid landscape.

Earth Observatory Photographs - Akimiski Island — Akimiski Island

During the last ice age, Canada’s Akimiski Island – buried under several thousand meters of ice. However, since its retreat, the island has rebounded (risen in elevation). Besides, new beach areas have emerged, streams and lakes have formed, and trees and other vegetation have colonized the new territory.

Steep Antarctic mountains channel. Earth Observatory Photographs — Steep Antarctic mountains channel

The flowing ice sheet into a fast-moving river of ice named Byrd Glacier located near McMurdo Station, the principal U.S. Antarctic Research Base. The glacier plunges through a deep, 15-mile-wide valley in the Transatlantic Mountains to create a 100-mile-long, rock-floored ice stream.

The Arabian Peninsula- Earth Observatory Photographs — The Arabian Peninsula’s Empty Quarter

Known as Rub’ al Khali, the Arabian Peninsula’s Empty Quarter, is the world’s largest sand sea, holding about half as much sand as the Sahara Desert. The Empty Quarter covers 583,000 square kilometers (225,000 square miles), and stretches over parts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.

Earth Observatory Photographs - Iran — southeastern Fars province in southern Iran

This simulated natural-color image of province in southern Iran shows a dry river channel carving through arid mountains toward the northeast. A broad belt of lush agricultural land follows the curve of the alluvial fan and stretches out along a road that runs parallel to the ridgeline. The valley-ward margin of the intensely green agricultural belt fades to dull green along streams (or irrigation canals).