Images

This map displays the geographic coverage of descending (daytime) image acquisition priorities for Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 on a typical day. The priority scale denotes 0 (low priority) to 100 (high priority).

Shows linear artifacts in Annual NLCD Land Cover product due to shrub and grass confusion. 

This Landsat 9 image of central Chile, acquired July 10, 2025, uses the shortwave infrared, near infrared, and red spectral bands ( bands 6,5,4) to highlight land cover. In this combination, healthy vegetation appears bright green, while snow and ice in the Andes Mountains show in bright blue.

The region of interest in the above images is Los Angeles and Ventura counties in California. The Woolsey fire started in 2018 on November 8th. The top left image shows the Annual NLCD spectral day change of year product where you can clearly see the Woolsey fire.

This Landsat 8 image highlights the McDermitt Caldera, which straddles the Nevada–Oregon border. The yellow boundary outlines the caldera margin, a geologic feature formed by a massive volcanic eruption millions of years ago. Over time, weathering of lithium-rich volcanic material led to the formation of clay deposits within the caldera basin.

An Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) animation of central Day County, South Dakota, from 1985 to 2023. Day County is in the Prairie Pothole Region. Annual NLCD is produced at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

An Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) animation of Devils Lake, North Dakota, from 1985 to 2023. Devils Lake is in the Prairie Pothole Region. Annual NLCD is produced at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

Annual NLCD Collection 1.1 has six different land cover and land use science product that make up the product suite package. The six different Annual NLCD science products are Land Cover, Land Cover Change, Land Cover Confidence Index, Impervious Descriptor, Fractional Impervious Surface, and Spectral Change Day of Year.

This Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) animation shows how the Smith River Complex Fire, which occurred in the fall of 2023 at the California-Oregon border, left a devastating mark on the landscape.

Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) land cover map for 2024. Annual NLCD has a 40-year historic record of land cover and land change, from 1985-2024. Annual NLCD, based on Landsat data, is produced at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

A table comparing the Annual NLCD Collection 1.0 to Collection 1.1 for Landsat ARD Source, Product Date Range, and Release Date.

The Landsat 7 satellite was launched on April 15, 1999.  The mission was decommissioned on June 4, 2025.  The data collected by the satellite's sensor from 1999 to 2024 is a key part of Landsat’s 50-plus year record of imaging our planet’s surface and are preserved in the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center archive.  

In late May 2025, Landsat satellites captured imagery of active fires in north-central Saskatchewan, Canada. The fires have caused evacuation orders and closed highways. While the natural color image shows the massive smoke covering the land, false color images allow us to see through the smoke and see the areas of active burning more clearly.

Trees in the Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota. Mountains can be seen in the background. 

By layering over 10 years of cloud-free Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 images, we can see the bright trails of ship traffic in major U.S. ports and harbors. Check out these striking patterns from popular shipping waterways, captured using Landsat’s panchromatic band. Just another example of how Landsat helps us understand the world from above.

This picture is the site of the Big Multi-Agency Campaign (BigMAC), a comprehensive field exercise aimed at assessing current technologies that might be used for validation of surface products derived from satellite imagery, The exercise was held in Brookings, South Dakota in August 2021. 

This Landsat 8 image of northern Greenland, acquired May 10, 2025, uses the natural color combination of red, green, and blue spectral bands (bands 4,3,2). Snow and ice appear bright white and exposed rock appears brown. The scene features the Ryder Glacier, C.H. Ostenfeld Glacier, and Victoria Fjord, along with part of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

This Landsat 8 image of southern Namibia, acquired May 7, 2025, uses the shortwave infrared, near infrared, and red spectral bands (bands 6,5,4) to highlight land cover. In this combination, healthy vegetation appears bright green, while bare ground and desert landscapes show in shades of brown and tan.

In April 2025, significant flooding occurred in an area of the Lake Eyre Basin in Southern Australia and Queensland states in Australia. 

The Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 satellites both passed over the area and captured the dramatic imagery used in this mosaic of the area. 

How does your state use Landsat satellite data?  Visit the Landsat’s View of the USA webpage to find how Landsat benefits each of United States. You can download a satellite image, put together an online puzzle, or read a USGS Fact Sheet for your selected state!

In April 2025, the Cullyamurra Waterhole, along the Cooper River in South Australia, reached a water level of 13.39 meters. This surpassed the 1974 record of 11.85 meters.