NASA is behind a lot of the satellites running around in orbit around our little blue planet, and in a new slideshow of images they showcase the change of seasons, as seen, from space. The full slideshow can be seen as an interactive scroll here or all in one page here.
Vegetation Patterns Around Lake George, New York
The change in seasons is vividly displayed in four satellite images of Lake George, New York. Snow covers the land in winter, the first greening of vegetation pops up in spring, the landscape is green with plants in summer and finally, fall colors show the green vegetation is dwindling.
These images allow scientists to study the same place at different times of year. This helps scientists learn how different plant types respond to changes in temperature, amount of daylight and rainfall. Over time, variations in normal patterns may be observed. Changes in plants are caused by various factors, including drought, excessive heat or cold and insect infestation.
The four satellite images (taken in different years) were captured by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer on NASA’s Terra satellite.
