Poster introducing the 2023 Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD). "Development and Cloud Implementation of the New Annual NLCD for the United States". Created by USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.
Multimedia
See our Imagery
EROS is home to a wide variety of remotely sensed imagery. Our galleries include some of our best
EROS is home to a wide variety of remotely sensed imagery. Our galleries include some of our best
Before and After
Use our interactive image comparison sliders to see change over time
Use our interactive image comparison sliders to see change over time
Earthshots
See images and read stories about some of the world's most fascinating Earth surface change
See images and read stories about some of the world's most fascinating Earth surface change
We maintain collections of images and videos that are available for download at no charge. Follow the links below to explore our multimedia.
Earth As Art
Earth As Art
In addition to their scientific value, many satellite images are simply intriguing to look at. Satellites capture an incredible variety of views of Earth. See the mesmerizing beauty of river deltas, mountains, and other sandy, salty, and icy landscapes.
Landsat State Mosaics
Landsat State Mosaics
A view of all 50 states from space. The images combine multiple Landsat scenes to showcase each state’s unique landscapes, from expansive forests and arid deserts to bustling cities and serene coastlines.
Landsat in Action
Landsat in Action
Watch Landsat Science Team members and researchers from around the world talk about the value of remotely sensed imagery to monitoring the health of the planet.
Images
Debut of the Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
Poster introducing the 2023 Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD). "Development and Cloud Implementation of the New Annual NLCD for the United States". Created by USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.
Landsat 9 Image of the Greater Los Angeles Fires - January 14, 2025 (During)
The tragic fires sweeping across the Greater Los Angeles area have burned more than 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 12,300 structures, and prompted evacuation orders and warnings for as many as 200,000 residents. Exceptionally dry conditions, coupled with strong Santa Ana winds, have fueled the fires.
The tragic fires sweeping across the Greater Los Angeles area have burned more than 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 12,300 structures, and prompted evacuation orders and warnings for as many as 200,000 residents. Exceptionally dry conditions, coupled with strong Santa Ana winds, have fueled the fires.
Landsat 8 Image of the Greater Los Angeles Fires - January 6, 2025 (Before)
The tragic fires sweeping across the Greater Los Angeles area have burned more than 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 12,300 structures, and prompted evacuation orders and warnings for as many as 200,000 residents. Exceptionally dry conditions, coupled with strong Santa Ana winds, have fueled the fires.
The tragic fires sweeping across the Greater Los Angeles area have burned more than 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 12,300 structures, and prompted evacuation orders and warnings for as many as 200,000 residents. Exceptionally dry conditions, coupled with strong Santa Ana winds, have fueled the fires.
Landsat 9 Image of Emi Koussi in Chad
Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 kicked off 2025 by acquiring over 1,400 scenes on the first of January. This Landsat 9 image of Emi Koussi in the Tibesti Range of Chad is a mosaic of two of the many scenes collected. Emi Koussi is an extinct shield volcano that rises to 11,204 feet (3,415 meters) above sea level, making it the highest summit in Chad and the Sahara Desert.
Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 kicked off 2025 by acquiring over 1,400 scenes on the first of January. This Landsat 9 image of Emi Koussi in the Tibesti Range of Chad is a mosaic of two of the many scenes collected. Emi Koussi is an extinct shield volcano that rises to 11,204 feet (3,415 meters) above sea level, making it the highest summit in Chad and the Sahara Desert.
Burn Severity Map of the August Complex Wildfire
Burn Severity Map of the August Complex wildfire, created by the USGS Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program. The August Complex, which burned over 1 million acres in California in 2020, is the largest wildfire in state history.
Burn Severity Map of the August Complex wildfire, created by the USGS Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program. The August Complex, which burned over 1 million acres in California in 2020, is the largest wildfire in state history.
Landsat Mosaic of the Wind River Range in Wyoming
The Wind River Range, located in west-central Wyoming, is a unique wilderness area that rises from the high plains of the South Pass of the Continental Divide and runs northwest to the Yellowstone Plateau. The Winds, as they are affectionately known, are exceptionally long, wide, high, rugged, and remote.
The Wind River Range, located in west-central Wyoming, is a unique wilderness area that rises from the high plains of the South Pass of the Continental Divide and runs northwest to the Yellowstone Plateau. The Winds, as they are affectionately known, are exceptionally long, wide, high, rugged, and remote.
Videos
Landsat's 12 Millionth Image (Image of the Week)
The USGS EROS Landsat archive recently reached a milestone of 12 million Landsat Collection 2 Level-1 products. These are available for download at no charge. The image representing this milestone displays a sprawling desert landscape and contains a multitude of agricultural, geological, and urban features.
The USGS EROS Landsat archive recently reached a milestone of 12 million Landsat Collection 2 Level-1 products. These are available for download at no charge. The image representing this milestone displays a sprawling desert landscape and contains a multitude of agricultural, geological, and urban features.
1 HOUR Relaxing Satellite Imagery (Sleep Music, Landsat, Concentrate, Meditation)
Landsat satellites capture images of the Earth’s surface. While the sensors aboard Landsat capture a wide range of scientifically useful wavelengths, this collection reveals natural color imagery in the red, green and blue parts of the visible spectrum, as if viewed by the naked eye from 438 miles above the surface.
Landsat satellites capture images of the Earth’s surface. While the sensors aboard Landsat capture a wide range of scientifically useful wavelengths, this collection reveals natural color imagery in the red, green and blue parts of the visible spectrum, as if viewed by the naked eye from 438 miles above the surface.
The Eye of Quebec (Image of the Week)
A large, round lake in Quebec, Canada, highlights the geography of an ancient impact crater.
In the late Triassic Period, a 3 mile wide meteorite struck northern Pangea at over 30,000 miles per hour.
The resulting crater is now 214 million years old, but the dramatic circular lake visible in 2024 Landsat imagery is a surprisingly recent feature.
A large, round lake in Quebec, Canada, highlights the geography of an ancient impact crater.
In the late Triassic Period, a 3 mile wide meteorite struck northern Pangea at over 30,000 miles per hour.
The resulting crater is now 214 million years old, but the dramatic circular lake visible in 2024 Landsat imagery is a surprisingly recent feature.
The New Annual (1985-2023) National Land Cover Database: Improving on a 30-Year Legacy
This video is a recording of a previous webinar entitled: “The New Annual (1985-2023) National Land Cover Database: Improving on a 30-year Legacy.” This webinar was recorded on October 24, 2024 at the USGS EROS.
This video is a recording of a previous webinar entitled: “The New Annual (1985-2023) National Land Cover Database: Improving on a 30-year Legacy.” This webinar was recorded on October 24, 2024 at the USGS EROS.
A New Flow for the Klamath (Image of the Week)
The Klamath River, flowing from the high desert interior of Oregon and through the redwood forests of California, once produced large runs of salmon and trout. However, the construction of hydroelectric dams, beginning in 1918, blocked fish migration, encroached on Indigenous culture, and impacted water quality.
The Klamath River, flowing from the high desert interior of Oregon and through the redwood forests of California, once produced large runs of salmon and trout. However, the construction of hydroelectric dams, beginning in 1918, blocked fish migration, encroached on Indigenous culture, and impacted water quality.
Exploring EarthExplorer - Webinar, September 2024
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains one of the largest civilian collection of images of the Earth’s land surface. At EROS, we study land change and produce land change data products used by researchers, resource managers, and policymakers across the nation and around the world.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains one of the largest civilian collection of images of the Earth’s land surface. At EROS, we study land change and produce land change data products used by researchers, resource managers, and policymakers across the nation and around the world.
Audio
Eyes on Earth Episode 130 – NLCD Accuracy
Every pixel has a story. At least that’s how land remote sensing scientist Jo Horton sees it. The new Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) was just released in October 2024. NLCD is widely used for land cover and change research in the U.S.
Every pixel has a story. At least that’s how land remote sensing scientist Jo Horton sees it. The new Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) was just released in October 2024. NLCD is widely used for land cover and change research in the U.S.
Eyes on Earth Episode 129 – What Happens During a Landsat Pass?
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk to ground station technicians to find out how Landsat satellite data gets from the spacecraft to EROS and then to the archive. We see what it’s like in EROS’s Landsat operations room and what the technicians do before, during, and after a Landsat pass.
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk to ground station technicians to find out how Landsat satellite data gets from the spacecraft to EROS and then to the archive. We see what it’s like in EROS’s Landsat operations room and what the technicians do before, during, and after a Landsat pass.
Eyes on Earth Episode 128 – 2024 EROS Fall Poster Session
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we mingle at the 2024 EROS Fall Poster Session. A poster session is essentially a way for scientists to share their work with their colleagues in a public forum. About 30 posters were on display in the EROS atrium from EROS staff and several students from South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota.
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we mingle at the 2024 EROS Fall Poster Session. A poster session is essentially a way for scientists to share their work with their colleagues in a public forum. About 30 posters were on display in the EROS atrium from EROS staff and several students from South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota.
Eyes on Earth Episode 127 – The Historic Landsat 7 Mission
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk about the incredible career of Landsat 7, which collected science imagery of the Earth for nearly 25 years. The Flight Operations Team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and engineers at EROS work together to collect imagery, send commands to the satellite, and keep it healthy.
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk about the incredible career of Landsat 7, which collected science imagery of the Earth for nearly 25 years. The Flight Operations Team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and engineers at EROS work together to collect imagery, send commands to the satellite, and keep it healthy.
Eyes on Earth Episode 126 – Annual NLCD
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk about the latest release of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). More than just a map, NLCD is a stack of maps—a database. It has long been the foundational land cover source for scientists, resource managers, and decision-makers across the United States, and now the next generation of USGS land cover mapping is here.
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk about the latest release of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). More than just a map, NLCD is a stack of maps—a database. It has long been the foundational land cover source for scientists, resource managers, and decision-makers across the United States, and now the next generation of USGS land cover mapping is here.
Eyes on Earth Episode 125 – The LANDFIRE Program at 20
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk about the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools (LANDFIRE) project, which is commemorating its 20th year of providing geospatial data to support natural resource management and wildland fire planning. LANDFIRE brings a lot of data together, over 30 data products, into one place.
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk about the Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools (LANDFIRE) project, which is commemorating its 20th year of providing geospatial data to support natural resource management and wildland fire planning. LANDFIRE brings a lot of data together, over 30 data products, into one place.