What am I looking at?
The round photos come from NASA's EPIC camera (Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera) on the NOAA DSCOVR spacecraft. DSCOVR sits about 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, at a point between Earth and the Sun, so it always sees the sunlit side of the planet. EPIC takes a series of full-disc colour photos every day, and NASA usually publishes them within a day or two. Move the slider to watch the planet rotate: continents slide from right to left as the day goes on.
The map below is built from the VIIRS instrument on the Suomi NPP satellite, which circles the Earth from pole to pole about 14 times a day and photographs the whole planet daily. NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) stitch these passes into one seamless world map. Pick any date back to 2012 to compare seasons, see a hurricane from above, or find smoke from big wildfires.
Is this really "live"?
It is as close to live as free public imagery gets. EPIC photos are typically 12–36 hours old, and the daily satellite map for "today" fills in strip by strip as the satellite passes over. No public service offers real-time video of the whole Earth, so be careful of websites that claim to.
Tips
- Dark diagonal gaps on the map are areas between satellite passes. Choose the previous day for a complete picture.
- Clouds are real: a cloudy region simply means it was cloudy when the satellite flew over.
- Zoom in to about city level. The imagery is roughly 375 m per pixel, so you can see cities, lakes and coastlines but not individual buildings.
Frequently asked questions
How often are the EPIC photos updated?
EPIC takes about 10–20 photos a day. They appear here once NASA publishes them, usually within 12–36 hours.
Can I see my house?
Not on this page. These are planet-scale images (about 375 m per pixel for the map). Use a high-resolution map service for street-level detail.
Why are parts of the map black?
They are gaps between satellite passes or areas in polar night. Try the previous day.
Are these images free to use?
Yes. NASA imagery is generally public domain. Please credit NASA when you share it.
More live Earth & Space tools
Data and credits: Full-disc photos: NASA EPIC / NOAA DSCOVR (public domain). Satellite map: NASA GIBS, VIIRS true colour (public domain). Labels © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Map library: Leaflet. See all Live Earth & Space tools and our credits page.