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Can the images on this website be used in "my" brochure, publication, presentation, or program?
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Yes. Except for the images that are copyrighted (as indicated in the caption), the images in the Natural Hazards section are in the public domain and may be used freely.
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For the images that are in the public domain, are they available in a higher resolution?
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Yes, all images in the Natural Hazards section should have a high-resolution version. The link to the high-resolution version
is below the right-hand corner of the main image on the image pages.
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As a member of the media, who would I contact about these images?
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Please contact Holli Riebeek (nh-contact@eodomo.gsfc.nasa.gov).
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Why aren't Earthquakes covered in the Natural Hazards section?
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We don't cover earthquakes because our satellites can't see them. |
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Are these photographs?
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Some of these images are digital photographs, essentially. Satellite sensors measure wavelengths of red, green, and blue light, allowing us to produce "true-color" images of the Earth's surface and atmosphere. However, the thing that distinguishes satellite images from photographs is that satellite remote sensors can also measure many wavelengths of electromagnetic energy that our eyes cannot see. Therefore, in order to make visual sense of these measurements, we must assign colors to these invisible wavelengths, thus producing "false-color" images.
Another key difference between photographs and satellite images is that when you take a photograph, what you see is what you get a picture of. For instance, if the sky is hazy or cloudy, then your view of the surface is obstructed. In multi-spectral data, it is possible to perform "atmospheric corrections" in which the effects of the haze and clouds are minimized or even removed altogether.
To learn more about the differences check out our Reference article on Remote Sensing
or check out the Remote Sensing Tutorial web site.
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Where can I find more NASA satellite imagery?
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Visible Earth is a growing, central index of Earth
science-related images being produced by several NASA projects including Terra
and SeaWiFS. Images are categorized by location, satellite, and topic, and are also
searchable using a full-text search engine. New images are uploaded daily and highlighted on the front page.
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Where can I find a satellite image of my home?
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While the images are actually aerial photographes, you can go to Microsoft's TerraServer and attempt to find an image that shows your home. At the moment it appears that the TerraServer
web site only has images for the U.S. NASA does not endorse this site.
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Where can I find 'Real-Time' imagery?
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Two web sites offer near-real-time imagery. The MODIS Land Rapid Response System is updated throughout the day with images
from the instrument MODIS onboard Terra at 2km, 1km, and 500m resolutions. The GOES Project Science web site offers links to selected images from the GOES geosynchonous satellite.
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