Artist Concept of Particle Population in Saturn Magnetosphere
Artist Concept of Particle Population in Saturn Magnetosphere
An artist's view of the Landsat Data Continuity Mission spacecraft in orbit above the Gulf Coast of the U.S.  Credit: NASA/GSFC/Landsat  <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelines.html" rel="nofollow">NASA image use policy.</a></b>  <b><a href="http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html" rel="nofollow">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a></b> enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.  <b>Follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix" rel="nofollow">Twitter</a></b>  <b>Like us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenbelt-MD/NASA-Goddard/395013845897?ref=tsd" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a></b>  <b>Find us on <a href="http://instagrid.me/nasagoddard/?vm=grid" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a></b>
How Will We Sustain a More Populated Planet?
iss073e0078403 (May 23, 2025) --- The sparsely populated, hot desert region of Western Australia near Neale Junction Nature Reserve is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 265 miles above the continental nation.
The sparsely populated, hot desert region of Western Australia
iss072e445581 (Dec. 28, 2024) --- The city lights of Tashkent, Uzbekistan's capital and most populous city with a population of about 3.1 million residents, are pictured at approximately 1:36 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above Central Asia.
The city lights of Tashkent, Uzbekistan's capital and most populous city
iss073e0003324 (April 30, 2025) --- (From top to bottom) The United Arab Emirates' two most populous cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi with a combined population of nearly 5.8 million, along with the artificial Palm Islands and the World Islands, on the coast of the Persian Gulf are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above.
The United Arab Emirates' two most populous cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi
iss073e0982063 (Oct. 21, 2025) --- São Paulo, Brazil—with a metropolitan population of about 23 million—is the fifth most populous region in the world. As Brazil's economic powerhouse, São Paulo hosts one of the largest stock exchanges in the world and leads in the automotive, aerospace, and pharmaceutical industries. The city's brighter, more energy-efficient white LED lights reflect the region’s ongoing progress and modernization of its infrastructure. This photograph was taken from the International Space Station as it orbited 264 miles above the Brazilian coast at approximately 2:20 a.m. local time.
São Paulo, Brazil, home to a metropolitan population of about 23 million
iss073e0982136 (Oct. 25, 2025) --- Upper Bay (center) leads to New York City's Statue of Liberty, then splits into the Hudson River and East River, which shape the island borough of Manhattan. Surrounding this iconic borough are New York City's four other boroughs—Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx—as well as the neighboring state of New Jersey. The New York City metropolitan area has a population of approximately 19.9 million, making it the 10th most populous region in the world. This photograph was taken from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the Empire State at approximately 2:23 a.m. local time.
The New York City metropolitan area with a population of approximately 19.9 million
iss073e0078528 (May 17, 2025) --- Barcelona, Spain's second most-populous city with a metropolitan population of 5.74 million on the Balearic Sea coast, is pictured at approximately 1:33 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above the Mediterranean Sea.
Barcelona, Spain's second most-populous city, is pictured from the Internationnal Space Station
iss073e0134550 (May 22, 2025) --- Kuwait City, with a population of about 3.5 million and where the majority of Kuwait's citizens reside on the Persian Gulf coast, is pictured at approximately 10:42 p.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above the Middle East.
Kuwait City, with a population of about 3.5 million, pictured at night
iss073e0075943 (May 16, 2025) --- Mexico City, the capital and most-populous city of the Latin American nation, surrounded by the dark voids of Lago de Texcoco nature preserve, the Lago Tláhuac-Xico nature preserve, and the Cumbres del Ajusco National Park is pictured at approximately 3 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above.
Mexico City, the capital and most-populous city of the Latin American nation
iss073e0119293 (May 20, 2025) --- Rio de Janiero, Brazil's capital and second most-populous city, along with its surrounding suburbs, is pictured in between the dark voids representing Nova Iguaçu Volcano (left) and Guanabara Bay (right) at approximately 3:06 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 264 miles above the Atlantic Ocean.
Rio de Janiero, Brazil's capital and second most-populous city
iss073e0510437 (Aug. 19, 2025) --- A lake in the sparsely populated, semi-arid Zhangeldin region of Kazakhstan is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Central Asian nation. Many lakes in Kazakhstan are seasonal and exhibit cyclical drying and refilling patterns or temprarily appear after snowmelt or heavy rains. Credit: Roscosmos
A lake in the sparsely populated, semi-arid Zhangeldin region of Kazakhstan
iss073e0513927 (Aug. 22, 2025) --- Shanghai, China's most populous city with over 24 million citizens and sitting on the East China Sea at the mouth of the Yangtze River, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above. Highlights include Shanghai Pudong International Airport (at top), the second busiest airport in the world by cargo traffic, and the circular Dishui Lake (center right), the largest artificial freshwater lake in China, hosting business and recreational activities.
Shanghai, China's most populous city with over 24 million citizens
iss073e0515117 (Aug. 23, 2025) --- Baghdad, Iraq, split by the Tigris River and with a population of about 7.92 million, is pictured at approximately 1:58 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above. The dark, oval area toward the top is Baghdad International Airport hosting both civilian airlines and military aircraft. Credit: JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
Baghdad, Iraq, split by the Tigris River and with a population of about 7.92 million
iss072e793149 (March 17, 2025) --- Mashhad, the second-most populous city in Iran with approximately 3.62 million residents near the border with Turkmenistan, is pictured at 11:47 p.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above.
Mashhad, the second-most populous city in Iran, pictured at night from the space station
iss073e0982169 (Oct. 25, 2025) --- Long Island, New York—the most populous island in the United States—stretches 118 miles from west to east, extending from Brooklyn to Montauk Point. It lies between Long Island Sound to the north and the New York/New Jersey Bight to the south. Toward the upper left, New York City's island borough of Manhattan is visible, with the Hudson River and East River flowing on either side. The city's bright lights contrast with the elongated, darkened area of Central Park. This image was captured at approximately 2:24 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Empire State.
Long Island, New York—the most populous island in the United States
Most of the population of Utah lives just west of the Wasatch Mountains in the north central part of the state.
Perspective View with Landsat Overlay, Salt Lake City, Utah
Saturn bright ringlets seen here are populated with microscopic icy particles and are among the brightest features in the rings at high phase angles
Bright in the Night
iss073e0548147 (Aug. 26, 2025) --- Tokyo, Japan, and its surrounding suburbs—the world’s most populous metropolitan area with about 39.1 million people—are pictured at approximately 1 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above. Visible landmarks include Haneda Airport on Tokyo Bay (lower center) and the Imperial Palace (the dark area at center) in the heart of downtown Tokyo. Credit: JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
Tokyo, Japan, the world’s most populous metropolitan area with about 39.1 million people
iss073e0918643 (Oct. 18, 2025) --- Tokyo, Japan, and its surrounding suburbs along Tokyo Bay light up the night, with stops along major rail lines glittering like pearls. The Greater Tokyo Area—the world’s most populated urban center with over 39 million people—is pictured at approximately 4 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the island nation.
Tokyo, Japan, the world’s most populated urban center with over 39 million people
NASA Terra spacecraft acquired this image of the City of Luxembourg, one of Europe greatest fortified states. With a population of about 90,000, the city is the capital of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Luxembourg
NASA Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer has uncovered a striking population of young stellar objects in a complex of dense, dark clouds in the southern constellation of Circinus.
Star Formation in the Circinus Molecular Cloud Complex
This image, acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft, shows Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, with a population of about 2.5 million inhabitants for the greater metropolitan area.
Kathmandu, Nepal
This image from NASA Terra spacecraft shows Antikythera, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea. With a population of 44, its main settlement is the port of Patamos.
Antikythera Island, Greece
These maps of the near and far side of the moon show the gravity gradients as measured by NASA GRAIL mission, highlighting a population of linear gravity anomalies.
Linear Gravity Anomalies
This image from NASA Terra spacecraft shows the planned city of Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, with a population of about 3.6 million for its metropolitan area.
Brasilia, Brazil
In May 2014, historic floods inundated Serbia and neighboring countries, causing major population displacements and property destruction. This image was acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft.
Historic Serbian Floods Eyed by NASA Spacecraft
Phoenix is the capital and most populous city in Arizona. It is also the fifth largest city in the US. It was settled in the 1880s as an agricultural community. Between 1980 and 2017, the metropolitan area grew from 1.5 million residents to 4.9 million. This astonishing expansion is dramatically seen in these two satellite images. The Landsat TM image was acquired November 28, 1982, and the ASTER image September 12, 2018. The images cover an area of 42 by 51 km, and are located at 33.4 degrees north, 112.1 degrees west.   https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA23411
Phoenix, AZ
Los Angeles, Calif., is one of the world largest metropolitan areas with a population of about 15 million people. The urban areas mostly cover the coastal plains and lie within the inland valleys.
Perspective View, SRTM / Landsat, Los Angeles, Calif
This image from NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer highlights the Andromeda galaxy older stellar population in blue. A pronounced warp in the disk of the galaxy, the aftermath of a collision with another galaxy, can be seen in the spiral arm.
Warped Andromeda
The Eastern U.S., Europe, and Japan are brightly lit by their cities, while interiors of Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America are dark and lightly populated in this image created in 2000 by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Global City Lights
This space radar image of Athens, Greece, shows the sprawling, modern development of this ancient capital city. Densely populated urban areas appear in shades of pink and light green.
Space Radar Image of Athens, Greece
This plot illustrates the new population of hot DOGs, or hot dust-obscured objects, found by WISE. The purple band represents the range of brightness observed for the extremely dusty objects.
Analyzing Hot DOG Galaxies
Delhi is the second largest metropolis in India, with a population of 16 million and is located in northern India along the banks of the Yamuna River. This image was acquired by NASA Terra satellite on September 22, 2003.
Delhi, India
This radar image of Dublin, Ireland, shows how the radar distinguishes between densely populated urban areas and nearby areas that are relatively unsettled. In the center of the image is the city natural harbor along the Irish Sea.
Space Radar Image of Dublin, Ireland
This artist concept shows hundreds of brown dwarfs deep red, expected to be added to the population of known stars in our solar neighborhood. Our sun and other known stars appear white, yellow or red.
Coolest Orbs on the Block Artist Concept
This artist concept based on data fromNASA Spitzer Space Telescope shows delicate greenish crystals sprinkled throughout the violent core of a pair of colliding galaxies. The white spots represent a thriving population of stars of all sizes and ages.
Galactic Hearts of Glass Artist Concept
This radar image of the area surrounding Boston, Mass., shows how a spaceborne radar system distinguishes between densely populated urban areas and nearby areas that are relatively unsettled.
Space Radar Image of Boston, Massachusetts
Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, is located on the shores of Port Nicholson, a natural harbor at the south end of North Island. The city was founded in 1840 by British emigrants and now has a regional population of more than 400,000 residents.
Stereo Pair: Wellington, New Zealand
This image shows the Parkes telescope in Australia, part of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. Researchers used the telescope to detect the first population of radio bursts known to originate from beyond our galaxy.
Parkes Telescope
Millions of galaxies populate the patch of sky known as the COSMOS field, short for Cosmic Evolution Survey, a portion of which is shown here. Even the smallest dots in this image are galaxies, some up to 12 billion light-years away.
Take a Splash Into the Cosmos
NASA Terra spacecraft flew over Jakarta, the capital and largest city of Indonesia. The population of the Jakarta conurbation is over 28 million, making it perhaps the largest metropolitan area in the world in terms of inhabitants.
Jakarta, Indonesia
NASA Spitzer and Chandra space telescopes have uncovered a long-lost population of active supermassive black holes, or quasars located deep in the bellies of distant, massive galaxies circled in blue.
Missing Black Holes Found!
Burrowing Owls keep watch over Moffett Field wetlands. The burrowing owl is currently listed as a Species of Special Concern in California.  Data collected since 1992 at Moffett Field suggest that the population at Moffett Field is the largest sub-population of owls in the region. Thus, the Moffett Field population is an important site for the long-term survival of burrowing owls in the Bay Area (Trulio 1999).   used in Ames 60 yr. History NASA SP-2000-4314
ARC-1993-AC93-0121-1
iss073e0120318 (May 18, 2025) --- Benghazi, Libya, the north African nation's second most-populous city on the Mediterranean coast with a population of about 859,000, is pictured at approximately 12:49 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above.
Benghazi, Libya, pictured at approximately 12:49 a.m. local time
iss073e0134580 (May 22, 2025) --- Abu Dhabi, the capital and second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates with a population of about 1.57 million on the Persian Gulf, is pictured at approximately 10:44 p.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above the Middle East.
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, pictured at night
iss070e096351 (Feb. 17, 2024) --- The city lights of Shanghai, the most populous city in China with a population of about 24.9 million, and the Huangpu River flowing through downtown, are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above the East China Sea.
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NASA & ASSOCIATED PROJECTED BUSINESS POPULATION - CLEAR LAKE AREA - 1962 - 1965
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Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia, and is home to over half the country's population of about 3 million people. Human habitation dates back more than 300,000 years. The city is located along the Tuul River Valley. Due to its location deep in the interior of Asia, and its high elevation, Ulaanbaatar is the coldest national capital in the world. The image was acquired September 19, 2022, covers an area of 21.2 by 36.6 km, and is located at 47.9 degrees north, 106.9 degrees east.  https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26289
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
iss072e519889 (Jan. 23, 2025) --- The city lights of Kuwait City, the capital of Kuwait with a population of about 3 million on the Persian Gulf coast, are pictured at approximately 9:49 p.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 258 miles above.
The city lights of Kuwait City, the capital of Kuwait
iss072e519565 (Jan. 22, 2025) --- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the desert nation's capital and largest city with a population af about 7 million, are pictured at aproximately 10:38 p.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 258 miles above.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the desert nation's capital and largest city
This artist concept shows how a normal spiral galaxy around our local universe left might have looked back in the distant universe, when astronomers think galaxies would have been filled with larger populations of hot, bright stars right.
Galaxies Near and Far Artist Concept
Data from NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer has led to revisions in the estimated population of near-Earth asteroids. The most accurate survey to date has allowed new estimates of the total numbers of objects in different size categories.
WISE Revises Numbers of Asteroids Near Earth
iss072e519516 (Jan. 22, 2025) --- The city lights of Osaka, Japan, the island nation's third most populous city split by the Yodo River, are pictured at approximately 10:25 p.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 258 miles above the Philippine Sea.
The city lights of Osaka, Japan
iss072e519089 (Jan. 21, 2025) --- The city lights of Lima, Peru, the South American nation's capital and most populous city with approximately 10.1 million residents on the Pacific coast, are pictured from the International Space Station at approximately 1:43 a.m. local time as it orbited 261 miles above.
The city lights of Lima, Peru
This image shows our own back yard, astronomically speaking, from a vantage point about 30 light-years away from the sun. It highlights the population of tiny brown dwarfs recently discovered by NASA WISE. The image simulates actual positions of stars.
Highlighting our Tiniest Neighbors
iss072e519264 (Jan. 21, 2025) --- The city lights of Buenos Aires, Argentina, the South American nation's capital with a population of about 3.1 million residents, is pictured at approximately 3:51 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 266 miles above.
The city lights of Buenos Aires, Argentina
iss072e519796 (Jan. 23, 2025) --- The city lights of Istanbul, Turkiye, with a population of about 15.7 million split by the Bosphorus strait in between the Sea of Mammara and the Black Sea, are pictured at approximately 9:44 p.m. local time from the International Space Staation as it orbited 259 miles above.
The city lights of Istanbul, Turkiye
iss064e000451 (Oct. 25, 2020) --- A portion of the Sahara Desert is pictured in Chad as the International Space Station orbited above the sparsely-populated African nation.
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Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. It was developed as a planned city, replacing Lagos, the country's most populous city, as the capital in 1991. By 2000, the population was about 800,000; by 2020, the city, and its adjoining urban area of Karu to the east, had grown to over 6 million. The images were acquired December 2, 2003 and March 5, 2021. They are located at 9.1 degrees north, 7.5 degrees east, and cover an area of 25.5 by 37.5 km.  https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA25186
Abuja, Nigeria, 2021
iss073e0120414 (May 19, 2025) --- São Paulo, Brazil, the South American nation's largest city with a population of about 11.9 million, and its surrounding suburbs including Guarulhos, with a population of about 1.29 million, are pictured at approximately 3:54 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 265 miles above the Atlantic Ocean.
São Paulo, Brazil, is pictured at approximately 3:54 a.m. local time
iss073e0866294 (Oct. 8, 2025) --- Montreal, Quebec, the second-most populous Canadian city with a metropolitan population of about 4.29 million, sits between the Prairies River to its north and the St. Lawrence River to the south. Montreal is named after Mount Royal, a prominent and natural landmark in the heart of the city. Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, voted North America's cleanest airport in 2025, is pictured near the bank of the St. Lawrence from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the Earth.
Montreal, Quebec sits between the Prairies River and the St. Lawrence River
Rupganj, Bangladesh was one of the top 3 fastest growing cities in the world between 2000 and 2020. The population increased from 76,000 to 482,000. The ASTER images were acquired November 10, 2000, during a period of flooding; and April 24, 2023. They cover an area of 40.5 by 52.5 km, and are located at 23.7 degrees north, 90.4 degrees east.  https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26282
Rupganj, Bangladesh
iss072e009893 (Oct. 1, 2024) --- Portland, Oregon, a city with a population of about 652,000 at the junction of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above North America.
Portland, Oregon, at the junction of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers
iss064e021949 (Jan. 9, 2021) --- Riyadh, the desert city and capital of Saudi Arabia, with a population of 7.6 million, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above the Arabian Peninsula.
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iss071e516877 (Aug. 18, 2024) --- Denver, Colorado, the Centennial State's capital city with a population of over 715,000, and its suburbs along the South Platte River are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above.
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iss070e093551 (Feb. 15, 2024) --- The port of Tianjin, China, on the Bohai Sea, a city with a population of over 13.8 million and known for its high scientififc output, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above.
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iss070e093563 (Feb. 15, 2024) --- Weifang, China, a city with a population of nearly 9.4 million on Laizhou Bay, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above.
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iss063e081399 (Aug. 31, 2020) --- The International Space Station was orbiting above Afghanistan during an orbital night period when an Expedition 63 crew member photographed the well-lit, highly populated areas of Pakistan and northern India.
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iss073e0285020 (July 14, 2025) --- Perth, Australia, with a population of about 2.3 million on the island continent's Indian Ocean coast, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above. Credit: Roscosmos
Perth, Australia, on the island continent's Indian Ocean coast
iss070e048530 (Dec. 27, 2023) --- Monterrey, the second largest city in Mexico, surrounded by mountains and with a population of over 1.1 million, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above.
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iss072e793133 (March 17, 2025) --- Ashgabat, the capital city of Turkmenistan with a population of about 1 million, is pictured at approximately 1:16 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above.
Ashgabat, the capital city of Turkmenistan, pictured at night from the space station
iss070e098296 (Feb. 23, 2023) --- The city of Villahermosa, the capital of the Mexican state of Tabasco, with a population of over 685,000, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above the Latin American nation.
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iss072e069105 (Oct. 15, 2024) --- Porto-Novo, the capital of Benin with a population of over 260,000, is situated on the Yewa River next to the coast of the Gulf of Guinea in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above.
Porto-Novo the capital of Benin
iss072e095268 (Oct. 20, 2024) --- The Niger River splits into its tributary, the Benue River, at the Nigerian city of Lokoja with a population of over 692,00 in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 258 miles above the African nation.
The Niger River splits into its tributary, the Benue River
iss072e068304 (Oct. 13, 2024) --- The town and commune of In Ghar, with a population of over 11,000 in Algeria's portion of the Sahara Desert, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above the African nation.
In Ghar, Algeria, in the Sahara Desert
iss073e0134680 (May 31, 2025) --- Kansas City, the largest city in Missouri with a population of about 516,000 and split by the Missouri River, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the midwestern United States.
Kansas City, the largest city in Missouri, pictured from the International Space Station
iss073e0098600 (May 26, 2025) --- The Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean with a population of approximately 49,300, are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above.
The Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean
iss061e066550 (Dec. 3, 2019) --- Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, and its metropolitan area with a population of 2.2 million, is pictured on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as the International Space Station orbited 252 miles above the Middle East.
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iss073e0000370 (April 22, 2025) --- Phoenix, Arizona, with a population of over 1.6 million and surrounded by numerous suburbs, is pictured at approximately 4:13 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles above.
The city lights of Phoenix, Arizona
iss072e007019 (Oct. 1, 2024) --- The hot desert coast of Western Australia's sparsely-populated Pilbara region on the Indian Ocean is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above.
The hot desert coast of Western Australia's Pilbara region
iss061e066522 (Dec. 3, 2019) --- The brightly lit capital city of Romania, Bucharest with a population of almost 1.9 million, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above the eastern European nation.
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iss056e032816 (June 23, 2018) --- The north Atlantic coast of Morocco and its port city of Safi with a population of over 300,000 feature prominently in this photograph taken by an Expedition 56 crew member aboard the International Space Station.
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iss064e039346 (Feb. 26, 2021) --- Kuwait City, population 4.1 million, on the south shore of Kuwait Bay is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above the Persian Gulf. Credit: Roscosmos
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iss064e023828 (Jan. 16, 2021) --- This night time shot of Shenyang, China, with the Hunhe River flowing though it, was taken from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the world's most-populous nation.
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iss071e696053 (Sept. 16, 2024) --- The city lights of the sparsely populated Xinjiang region in western China are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 264 miles above the Asian nation.
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KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The water in the turn basin, east of the Vehicle Assembly Building and next to the crawlerway, teems with fish and draws white pelicans, gray pelicans, cormorants, sea gulls and more looking for a meal. The turn basin is part of the Indian River Lagoon, composed of Mosquito Lagoon to the north, Banana River and Creek to the south and the Indian River to the west. The Indian River Lagoon has one of the most diverse bird populations anywhere in America. Also, nearly one-third of the nation's manatee population lives here or migrates through the lagoon seasonally. The lagoon varies in width from ½ mile to 5 miles and averages only 3 feet in depth
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Tristan da Cunha is both a remote group of volcanic islands in the south Atlantic, and the main island. It is the most remote inhabited island group in the world, 2400 km from the nearest inhabited land. Tristan has a population of about 250 inhabitants, and is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. In 1961 the eruption of Queen Mary's Peak forced the evacuation of the entire population for two years. The image was acquired October 7, 2017, and is located at 37.1 degrees south, 12.3 degrees west.   https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22506
Tristan da Cunha Island
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The water in the turn basin, east of the Vehicle Assembly Building and next to the crawlerway, teems with fish and draws white pelicans, gray pelicans, cormorants, sea gulls and more looking for a meal. The turn basin is part of the Indian River Lagoon, composed of Mosquito Lagoon to the north, Banana River and Creek to the south and the Indian River to the west. The Indian River Lagoon has one of the most diverse bird populations anywhere in America. Also, nearly one-third of the nation's manatee population lives here or migrates through the lagoon seasonally. The lagoon varies in width from ½ mile to 5 miles and averages only 3 feet in depth
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The towns of Santa Claus, Ga., (top) and Santa Claus, Ind. (bottom), are shown in these two images from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument on NASA's Terra satellite. They are the only two Santa Claus towns in the United States with post offices and zip codes, although there are 11 towns with this name in the United States. Santa Claus, Ga. is located in Toombs County, and has a population of 237. Santa Claus, Ind. is located in Spencer County, and has a population of 2,041. Its name was accepted by the United States Postal Service in 1856. The images were acquired on July 3, 2000 (top) and June 16, 2001 (bottom), respectively.  http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03891
Santa Claus, Ga./Ind.
Lying 3 km off the Llyn peninsula of Wales, the Bardsey Island is known as the Island of 20,000 saints. While today's permanent population numbers only four, the island was once an important religious site, with a 6th century monastery. It is the legendary burial site of King Arthur. Another legend holds that anyone who died on the island would not go to hell. The image was acquired April 4, 2006, covers an area of 6 by 10 km, and is located at 52.7 degrees north, 4.8 degrees west.  http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA21182
Bardsey Island, Wales
Images obtained after lowering MESSENGER's altitude have revealed a population of small fault scarps (white arrows) that can be more than an order of magnitude smaller in size than their larger counterparts, like Enterprise Rupes. These small scarps are less than 10 km in length and have only tens of meters of relief. They are comparable in size and morphology to small fault scarps imaged on the Moon by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, suggesting that these small scarps are relatively young, and raising the possibility that some are even active today.  http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19245
Small Scarp Close-up
NASA's Nuclear Spectroscope Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, has identified a candidate pulsar in Andromeda -- the nearest large galaxy to the Milky Way. This likely pulsar is brighter at high energies than the Andromeda galaxy's entire black hole population.  The inset image shows the pulsar candidate in blue, as seen in X-ray light by NuSTAR. The background image of Andromeda was taken by NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer in ultraviolet light.  Andromeda is a spiral galaxy like our Milky Way but larger in size. It lies 2.5 million light-years away in the Andromeda constellation.  http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20970
Pulsar Candidate in Andromeda
iss072e069057 (Oct. 15, 2024) --- Godomey, Benin, with a population of over 250,000, and surrounding towns on the Gulf of Guinea coast, sits next to Lake Nokoué (right) in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 260 miles above the African continent.
Godomey, Benin, on the Gulf of Guinea coast
Kennedy Space Center shares boundaries with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on Florida’s Atlantic coast. The refuge's coastal location, tropic-like climate, and wide variety of habitat types contribute to a diverse bird population. More than 350 species have been identified on the refuge.
Creative Photography - Nature/Wildlife
iss069e085742 (Sept. 2, 2023) --- The city lights of Delhi, India, the second most populated city in the world estimated to be 32.9 million, are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 257 miles above the subcontinental nation. At lower right, is the well-lit Indira Gandhi International Airport.
iss069e085742
STS073-E-5274 (3 Nov. 1995) --- Colima was photographed with a color Electronic Still Camera (ESC) onboard the Earth-orbiting space shuttle Columbia. The volcano lies due south of Guadalajara and Lake Chapala.  It is considered to be one of Mexico's most active and most dangerous volcanoes, lying not far from heavily populated areas.
Colima Volcano, Mexico
Kennedy Space Center shares boundaries with the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on Florida’s Atlantic coast. The refuge's coastal location, tropic-like climate, and wide variety of habitat types contribute to a diverse bird population. More than 350 species have been identified on the refuge.
Creative Photography - Nature/Wildlife
iss070e063882 (Jan. 8, 2024) --- Argentina's Valdes Peninsula, in between the Golfo San Matias and the Golfo Nuevo and populated by a wide variety of marine and land wildlife, is pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 269 miles above the Argentine Sea.
iss070e063882
iss072e399013 (Dec. 19, 2024) --- The city lights of Miami, Florida, the seat of Miami-Dade County with a population of about 456,000 citizens, and its surrounding suburbs are pictured at approximately 4:07 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 256 miles above the Atlantic Ocean.
The city lights of Miami, Florida