Images

The EarthNow! Landsat Image Viewer displays imagery in near real-time as Landsat satellites orbit the Earth. Along with the near real-time video stream, EarthNow! also replays acquisition recordings from previous Landsat overpasses. When Landsat satellites are out of viewing range of a ground station, the most recent overpass is displayed.

This Landsat 8 image shows an area of the east central portion of the United States on March 22, 2025. The muted hues of tan pocked with some green areas indicate vegetation awakening from winter dormancy, and the reservoirs and waterways are well within their banks. 

Powerful storms containing heavy rains caused major flooding to areas in the east central portion of the United States in early April 2025. Some communities in Kentucky saw more than 15 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

This Landsat 9 image of the Strait of Belle Isle, acquired April 8, 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, snow and ice appear in shades of cyan and blue, and water appears dark.

This Landsat 9 image highlights central Germany, including the Harz Mountains to the west and the cities of Magdeburg and Leipzig. The scene uses a shortwave infrared, near-infrared, and red band combination (Bands 6, 5, 4), which enhances vegetation in bright green and helps distinguish urban areas and water features.

This Landsat 9 image of northwestern Mexico, acquired March 30, 2025, uses the natural color combination of red, green, and blue spectral bands (bands 4,3,2). The scene highlights the Colorado River Delta, where desert meets irrigated farmland near San Luis Río Colorado, before flowing into the blue-green waters of the Gulf of California.

This Landsat 8 image displays the massif of the three active volcanoes that dominate Tongariro National Park, on New Zealand’s North Island.

This animation for the years 1985 to 2023, from the Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) shows the change in urban development over time in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. Production of Annual NLCD is based at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

Collage of an Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) map and land cover types produced at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

Spatial distribution of percent cover of key RCMAP components. RCMAP fractional component time-series data spanning 1985–2023 and trends analysis products are available for download at https://www.mrlc.gov/ and on the rangelands viewer application.

Fort Peck Lake, a sprawling reservoir formed by the Fort Peck Dam on the Missouri River, lies in the eastern prairie region of Montana near the city of Glasgow. According to the U.S.

Mount Etna is Europe’s largest and most active volcano. Located on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy, in the province of Catania, the active stratovolcano is known for its frequent and persistent eruptions. Activity can range from explosive eruptions to lava flows and ash emissions.

Mount Etna is Europe’s largest and most active volcano. Located on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy, in the province of Catania, the active stratovolcano is known for its frequent and persistent eruptions. Activity can range from explosive eruptions to lava flows and ash emissions.

The Landsat Global Archive Consolidation WRS-2 Scenes heatmap displays Landsat scenes by WRS-2 path/row that were contributed to the USGS Landsat Archive by Landsat International Cooperator Ground Stations.

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. Located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the East Coast, it runs north-south from the mouth of the Susquehanna River near Havre de Grace, Maryland, to the Atlantic Ocean near Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The Chesapeake Bay watershed has experienced substantial population growth over the last several decades. Since 1950, the population has more than doubled, and between 1980 and 2023, the number increased from 12.7 million to 18.6 million.

The Landsat Global Archive Consolidation WRS-1 Scenes heatmap displays Landsat scenes by WRS-1 path/row that were contributed to the USGS Landsat Archive by Landsat International Cooperator Ground Stations.

The Chesapeake Bay is roughly 200 miles (322 kilometers) in length and varies in width from a mere 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) near Aberdeen, Maryland, to 30 miles (48 kilometers) near Cape Charles, Virginia.

The Chesapeake Bay watershed spans more than 64,000 square miles (166,000 square kilometers) and encompasses parts of six states—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia—and the District of Columbia.

A bird’s eye view of the Thacker Pass lithium mine captured in late February 2025 reveals the contours of the process plant pad taking shape. Lithium Americas, the company that owns the mine, used Landsat data to help determine its potential impact on sagebrush environments and groundwater.

On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Winter Storm Enzo brought an exceptionally rare snowfall to the Greater Houston metro area of Texas. The National Weather Service reported 5.5 inches (14 cm) in Baytown, a city located east of Houston on the northern shore of Galveston Bay. Other cities and locales received upwards of 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm).