The Landsat 8 satellite captured an image showing sea ice packed into Roes Welcome Sound, located along the northwestern edge of Southampton Island and around Qikiqtaaluk Island in the uninhabited Canadian Arctic Archipelago. East of Qikiqtaaluk, ice drifts through the Frozen Strait, extending eastward into Foxe Basin.
Multimedia
Explore the USGS Multimedia for access to images, videos, podcasts, and webcams. All items are considered public domain unless otherwise noted.
USGS EROS EarthShots
USGS EROS EarthShots
Earthshots provides examples of how Landsat data helps scientists worldwide understand more about how both people and nature are changing the landscape.
EROS Image Gallery
EROS Image Gallery
Here you can find a vast collection of our favorite images, including state mosaics and Earth as Art.
Images
Ice Fills Roes Welcome Sound
The Landsat 8 satellite captured an image showing sea ice packed into Roes Welcome Sound, located along the northwestern edge of Southampton Island and around Qikiqtaaluk Island in the uninhabited Canadian Arctic Archipelago. East of Qikiqtaaluk, ice drifts through the Frozen Strait, extending eastward into Foxe Basin.
Dr. Jim Irons
Dr. Jim Irons, Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) project scientist from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, speaks to NASA social media followers at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., prior to the launch of the LDCM satellite, which was later renamed Landsat 8 after reaching orbit.
Photo credit: NASA
Dr. Jim Irons, Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) project scientist from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, speaks to NASA social media followers at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., prior to the launch of the LDCM satellite, which was later renamed Landsat 8 after reaching orbit.
Photo credit: NASA
Dr. Eric Vermote
Dr. Eric Vermote is a research scientist with NASA. Dr. Vermote is a member of the Landsat Science Team.
Photo credit: NASA
Dr. Eric Vermote is a research scientist with NASA. Dr. Vermote is a member of the Landsat Science Team.
Photo credit: NASA
Cumulative Number of Landsat Scenes
The USGS Landsat archive holds over fifty years of Earth-Observing satellite data. This animation displays the cumulative number of Landsat scenes since 1972. The colors on the maps show the density of the number of Landsat Level-1 products.
The USGS Landsat archive holds over fifty years of Earth-Observing satellite data. This animation displays the cumulative number of Landsat scenes since 1972. The colors on the maps show the density of the number of Landsat Level-1 products.
Continuing the Landsat Legacy
Timeline of the Landsat program, beginning with the launch of Landsat 1 in 1972. Landsat 10 is expected to launch in 2031. As the tenth Landsat mission, it will continue the legacy of the Landsat program.
Visit the Landsat Missions webpage to learn more.
Timeline of the Landsat program, beginning with the launch of Landsat 1 in 1972. Landsat 10 is expected to launch in 2031. As the tenth Landsat mission, it will continue the legacy of the Landsat program.
Visit the Landsat Missions webpage to learn more.
Spectral Bandpasses for all Landsat Sensors
This image shows the spectral bandpasses for the sensors on all Landsat satellites.
This image shows the spectral bandpasses for the sensors on all Landsat satellites.
Videos
Landsat: Products & Services from the USGS - Webinar, September 2023
Landsat: Products & Services from the USGS - Webinar, September 2023The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains 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.
Landsat: Products & Services from the USGS - Webinar, September 2023
Landsat: Products & Services from the USGS - Webinar, September 2023The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center maintains 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.
Landsat Records 50 Years of Growth in Dallas-Fort Worth
Landsat Records 50 Years of Growth in Dallas-Fort WorthLandsat 1 celebrated its 50th anniversary on July 23, 2022!
Landsat 1's first satellite image shared with the world was a view of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Over the course of five decades, Landsat satellites have captured the Dallas-Fort Worth area 2033 times, compiled into individual scenes in the Landsat Archive.
Landsat Records 50 Years of Growth in Dallas-Fort Worth
Landsat Records 50 Years of Growth in Dallas-Fort WorthLandsat 1 celebrated its 50th anniversary on July 23, 2022!
Landsat 1's first satellite image shared with the world was a view of Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. Over the course of five decades, Landsat satellites have captured the Dallas-Fort Worth area 2033 times, compiled into individual scenes in the Landsat Archive.
Landsat: Celebrating 50 Years
The Landsat program conceived of in the 1960s, has been running longer than any remote sensing program. The idea was simple: position a satellite in a nearly polar orbit fixed to the solar angle so that each daytime pass would cross the equator at roughly the same local time.
The Landsat program conceived of in the 1960s, has been running longer than any remote sensing program. The idea was simple: position a satellite in a nearly polar orbit fixed to the solar angle so that each daytime pass would cross the equator at roughly the same local time.
Image of the Week - Landsat's 10 Millionth Scene
Landsat 7 had the honor of acquiring the satellite program’s 10 millionth scene in November 2021.
The scene captures changes to the Dead Sea, located in Southwest Asia. The Dead Sea is mainly fed by the Jordan River, which enters from the north. However, the water level of the Dead Sea has been falling due to irrigation projects and water use upstream.
Landsat 7 had the honor of acquiring the satellite program’s 10 millionth scene in November 2021.
The scene captures changes to the Dead Sea, located in Southwest Asia. The Dead Sea is mainly fed by the Jordan River, which enters from the north. However, the water level of the Dead Sea has been falling due to irrigation projects and water use upstream.
10 Millionth Landsat Image
Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continually acquired data about the Earth’s land surface. On November 23, 2021, the Landsat Archive that stores this vital record added its ten millionth scene.
The history of the area on display in that milestone scene offers insight into the value of the Landsat Program’s longevity to the scientific community.
Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continually acquired data about the Earth’s land surface. On November 23, 2021, the Landsat Archive that stores this vital record added its ten millionth scene.
The history of the area on display in that milestone scene offers insight into the value of the Landsat Program’s longevity to the scientific community.
Landsat 9 Underfly, November 2021
The newly launched Landsat 9 experienced a once-in-a-mission lifetime event where its orbit was directly below Landsat 8 for an “underfly.” For several days in the middle of November, the pair of Earth-observing satellites flew together, collecting data at the same time for the same sites and requiring simultaneous downlinking to global ground station antennas.
The newly launched Landsat 9 experienced a once-in-a-mission lifetime event where its orbit was directly below Landsat 8 for an “underfly.” For several days in the middle of November, the pair of Earth-observing satellites flew together, collecting data at the same time for the same sites and requiring simultaneous downlinking to global ground station antennas.
Audio
Eyes on Earth Episode 131 – Using AI in Geospatial Work
Eyes on Earth Episode 131 – Using AI in Geospatial WorkEyes on Earth tackles artificial intelligence (AI) in a 2-part episode. AI is quickly becoming a necessary part of geospatial work at EROS, helping us efficiently do science to better manage our world. In Part 1, EROS Director Pete Doucette discusses AI and its current and upcoming impact on our work at EROS.
Eyes on Earth Episode 131 – Using AI in Geospatial Work
Eyes on Earth Episode 131 – Using AI in Geospatial WorkEyes on Earth tackles artificial intelligence (AI) in a 2-part episode. AI is quickly becoming a necessary part of geospatial work at EROS, helping us efficiently do science to better manage our world. In Part 1, EROS Director Pete Doucette discusses AI and its current and upcoming impact on our work at EROS.
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?
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.
Eyes on Earth Episode 129 – What Happens During a Landsat Pass?
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.
Eyes on Earth Episode 127 – The Historic Landsat 7 Mission
Eyes on Earth Episode 127 – The Historic Landsat 7 MissionIn 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 127 – The Historic Landsat 7 Mission
Eyes on Earth Episode 127 – The Historic Landsat 7 MissionIn 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 124 – Mapping Fires in Utah
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk to forest ecologist Jim Lutz about the effort to map fires in Utah. Fire research in the West is dominated by the study of large fires, but the forests in Utah are different. Utah typically does not have a lot of large fires as other western states do.
In this episode of Eyes on Earth, we talk to forest ecologist Jim Lutz about the effort to map fires in Utah. Fire research in the West is dominated by the study of large fires, but the forests in Utah are different. Utah typically does not have a lot of large fires as other western states do.
Eyes on Earth Episode 123 – Bathymetry Mapping
This Eyes on Earth episode is the third in our series on using Landsat for coastal studies. We talk to physical geographer Jeff Danielson about bathymetry and how it is critical for coastal modeling. Bathymetry captures the shape of underwater topography, and satellite-derived bathymetry helps fill in areas where there are data gaps.
This Eyes on Earth episode is the third in our series on using Landsat for coastal studies. We talk to physical geographer Jeff Danielson about bathymetry and how it is critical for coastal modeling. Bathymetry captures the shape of underwater topography, and satellite-derived bathymetry helps fill in areas where there are data gaps.