Gallery: The Best Earth Pics From the Newest Landsat Satellite

  • Landsat 8 composite image of the U.S.
    Photos by Courtesy David Roy, USGS-NASA WELD product
    01

    landsat-8-us48-2400

    A composite, nearly cloudless map of the contiguous United States made from Landsat 8 images. *Open gallery in full-screen mode for bigger images and more info.*
  • Piqiang fault China
    Photos by Robert Simmon and Jesse Allen, NASA/USGS
    02

    faulting-oli-2013211-2400-34

    Look closely at the center of this image taken by Landsat 8 on July 13, 2013 and you will see the Piqiang fault in China's Xinjiang province.
  • Mount Shasta
    Photos by Robert Simmon, NASA/USGS
    03

    shasta-oli-2014004-2000-34

    Mount Shasta is uncharacteristically bare of snow in this image taken by Landsat 8 on Jan. 4, 2014.
  • The London Array wind farm
    Photos by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, NASA/USGS
    04

    IDL TIFF file

    The white dots laid out in a grid in this image taken by Landsat 8 on April 28, 2013 are part of the world's largest wind farm.
  • Clearwater Lakes
    Photos by Robert Simmon and Jesse Allen, NASA/USGS
    05

    IDL TIFF file

    Clearwater Lakes in northwestern Quebec, shown here in an image taken by Landsat 8 on June 29, 2013.
  • Grand Canyon
    Photos by Robert Simmon, NASA/USGS
    06

    dolansprings-oli-2013088-canyon-2400

    The Grand Canyon captured by Landsat 8 on March 30, 2013.
  • Pine Island glacier
    Photos by Holli Riebeek, NASA/USGS
    07

    PineIslandGlacier-oli-2013317-2400-34

    A large iceberg breaks off of Antarctica's Pine Island glacier in this image taken by Landsat 8 on Nov. 13, 2013.
  • Amazon deforestation
    Photos by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, NASA/USGS
    08

    IDL TIFF file

    Landsat 8 spotted new deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon on Aug. 28, 2013.
  • Salton Sea
    Photos by Matthew Montanaro and Robert Simmon, NASA/USGS
    09

    saltonsea-oli-2013083-2400-34

    The Salton Sea and surrounding farmland captured by Landsat 8 on March 24, 2013.
  • Flooding in Colorado
    10

    IDL TIFF file

    The South Platte River is 6 feet above flood stage near Greeley, Colorado in this image taken by Landsat 8 on Sep. 17, 2013.
  • indonesian volcano erupts
    Photos by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, NASA/USGS
    11

    IDL TIFF file

    Paluweh Island in Indonesia erupts on Sep. 4, 2013 in this image captured by Landsat 8.
  • Yosemite's Rim fire scar
    Photos by Robert Simmon, NASA/USGS
    12

    rimfire-oli-2013259-2400-34

    The burn scar from the Rim fire in the Yosemite area can be seen in grey in this image captured on Sept. 16, 2013 by Landsat 8.
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