A volcanic eruption seen from space | Space photo of the day for June 17, 2026

Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano shot out lava for the 49th time that we know of.

San Francisco’s Patchwork Streets
San Francisco’s Patchwork Streets

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station took this picture of downtown San Francisco and nearby communities on May 27, 2026. The image captures two of the region’s iconic bridges. The Golden Gate Bridge connects the northern San Francisco Peninsula with Marin County to the north, while the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge spans the bay toward […]

NASA, USGS Scientists Go Rock Hounding in California’s High Desert
NASA, USGS Scientists Go Rock Hounding in California’s High Desert

Equipped with rock picks and hand lenses, a team of geoscientists deployed to the Mojave Desert recently to investigate a tantalizing “fingerprint” detected by a NASA sensor. Their target: a cache of topaz hiding in plain sight. The geologists weren’t searching for gem-grade treasure. Rather, the presence of topaz could hint at a more valuable […]

Jim Irons, Former Landsat Project Scientist, Wins Pecora Award
Jim Irons, Former Landsat Project Scientist, Wins Pecora Award

Landsat’s Jim Irons won the prestigious William T. Pecora Award. Irons, now an emeritus scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, played an integral role in shaping the Landsat program into what it is today.

Scientists propose spraying chemicals into Earth’s magnetic field to protect us from powerful solar storms

Scientists have proposed a spacecraft-based system to actively strengthen Earth’s magnetic shield and reduce the impact of powerful solar storms.

Astronaut spots Mount Vesuvius from space | Space photo of the day for June 8, 2026

“From orbit, volcanoes are some of the most beautiful natural sights.”

NASA Satellites Uncover Large-Scale Ocean Nutrient Stress 
NASA Satellites Uncover Large-Scale Ocean Nutrient Stress 

As Earth’s oceans warm, microscopic marine organisms are experiencing increasing stress due to a lack of vital nutrients. A new study combining NASA satellite observations, ocean surveys, and genetic testing on marine microorganisms suggests that warming ocean waters are limiting nutrient availability across much of the global ocean, with the potential to reshape marine ecosystems.  The research, published June 5 […]

NASA-Funded Study Shows Wildfire Smoke’s Hidden Ozone Toll
NASA-Funded Study Shows Wildfire Smoke’s Hidden Ozone Toll

Over the last decade, wildfires have worsened ground-level ozone pollution across much of the contiguous United States, creating unhealthy air far from active flames.

A rainbow patchwork quilt shows agriculture from space | Space photo of the day for June 4, 2026

A rainbow blanket of patchwork colors sprawls across South Africa in this new composite image created using data from NASA’s latest Earth-observing mission.