Category Archives: Landsat

Traveling Way Back – Landsat Images From Aprils Gone By

Welcome to another Throwback Thursday. Today we are going back into the archives to compare imagery from the first five Landsat satellites (all images are featured in natural color). Click on each image for a closer view.

  • Try to notice the differences in resolution and image quality between the different years.
  • Another thing to note is the wide seasonal variation between the images. All the images were from the same three week period in April. Some images are have snow while other years are very green.
  • Observe that the Des Moines River is swollen in the Landsat 4 -1983 image.
Landsat 1 – April 5, 1976
Landsat 2 – April 3, 1975

Landsat 3 – April 21, 1980
Landsat 4 – April 15, 1983
Landsat 5 – April 12, 1985

You can explore the raw images using this web app: https://arcg.is/0XrG4f. Happy exploring.


This year we are celebrating 50 years of the Landsat earth observing satellite mission. Landsat data helps us observe changes in our communities and environment over time.


Thanks for stopping by and keep observing the world around you!

#TimeLapse Tuesday – Spot the Change – Urban Growth of Ankeny, Iowa

What changes do you notice in this Landsat time lapse video?

1) The areas of purple and white in the image are urban areas. Throughout the video they fill in the area from the bottom to the center. The pink areas are farm land.

2) Did you notice the increase in the number of retention ponds (dark blue specks in the urban areas) over time? Retention ponds are used to prevent flooding and provide for water storage in urban areas. As areas become urbanized there is often more surface covered in concrete, parking lots and buildings. There are fewer places for the water to flow directly into the ground.

3) Did you spot the golf course on the northern edge of the city?


This year we are celebrating 50 years of the Landsat earth observing satellite mission. Landsat data helps us observe changes in our communities and environment over time.


This video was created using Google Earth Engine. You can create your own time lapse videos by visiting: https://emaprlab.users.earthengine.app/view/lt-gee-time-series-animator.

#Landsat Throwback Thursday – 50 years of Growth in Dubai

Over the last 50 years, the city of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, has transformed from a small fishing and pearl diving village into a luxurious, modern metropolis. The population has grown from just over 100,000 residents in 1972 to an estimated 2.9 million residents in 2022. While the beauty and distinction of this city is undeniable, some question the sustainability of this fast-growing city located in a land of desert and salt water. The images are shown in false color infrared.  Areas appearing red show healthy vegetation. Notice the dramatic change from first image in 1973 (very little vegetation and urbanization) to 2022 with many areas of red far from the water. 

To create these images, individual bands were downloaded from the United States Geological Survey’s Earth Explorer Website (https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/) in April 2022. The composite false color infrared images were created in ArcGIS Pro using the composite imagery processing tool.


This year we are celebrating 50 years of the Landsat earth observing satellite mission. Landsat data helps us observe changes in our communities and environment over time.


Happy Earth Day 2022: Enjoy NASA’s Pathways to New Discoveries

This year NASA’s Earth Day poster is features a series of QR codes which provide an array of information on a number of their missions, programs, and activities. We have provided a key below explaining each of the numbered QR codes along with the link to each code (click on the name to follow the link.)

  1. Artemis
  2. Landsat 9
  3. Climate Time Machine
  4. Climate Quizzes
  5. Images of Change
  6. Eyes on Earth
  7. Benefits from Space
  8. Rising Tides
  9. Snack Time with NASA
  10. Benefits on Earth
  11. GLOBE Observer
  12. NASA Earth Day
  13. Earth from Afar
  14. Earth Science
  15. Live views from Space
  16. NASA Aeronautics
  17. 2022 Earth Day Poster

Announcing the Golden Jubilee of the Landsat Mission

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of the first Landsat satellite (July 23, 1972). To celebrate fifty years of earth observation, IowaView will be posting various images and gif documenting Landsat in Iowa and around the world. Check back regularly for new images and articles. #TimeLapseTuesday #ThrowbackThursday

A Calendar Full of Exciting, Engaging April Events

Happy Earth Month! This month is full of lots of exciting and engaging events for you to participate in. Here are some coming up soon:

What: VIRTUAL EVENT: ASPRS GeoBytes Webinar: A History of the Landsat Program presented by Ellie Leydsman McGinty This is going to be a fantastic opportunity to learn about some of the stories behind how the Landsat program became what it is today and some of the people that made it happen. 
When: 4/8/22 @ 12pm-1pm (Eastern)
Registration (free): https://my.asprs.org/ASPRSMember/Events/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=GB20220408&WebsiteKey=9126ee3f-e9e1-43bd-a00c-0cfa63182579

What: VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EVENT Virginia Tech Office of GIS and Remote Sensing Research Symposium
We have an exceptional panel of speakers on hand this year representing Duke University, NASA (Emerita), and Virginia Tech.  Another highlight of the Symposium, is the student poster session  & web map app showcase with over 35 undergraduate and graduate student posters on full display! 
When: 4/8/22 @ 12pm-3:30pm (Eastern)
Registration (free): https://virginiatech.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_n0l1pRCTTSWgDeP7Jwx47Q

What: VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EVENT Iowa Technology and Education Connection (ITEC) Conference
ITEC is hosting the annual conference on April 13-14. Join fellow Iowa educators at the state’s premier Tech Ed event! IowaView staff will be presenting on April 14 at 1:15 -2:05pm – Spreading the Mapping Bug: Sharing Geospatial Resources, Ready-to-Go Curriculum, and Mapping Activities for Teachers to Use Tomorrow and Integrate into Their Lessons. Great for student engagement. Many of these materials align with core standards and resources include interactive maps and apps available immediately.
When: 4/14/22 @ 1:15-2:05pm
Registration: https://www.itec-ia.org/conference-registration-details/

What: VIRTUAL EVENT GeoTech Center – Earth Observation Day

When: 4/20/22 @ 11am-4:45pm (Eastern)
Registration (free): https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/02d5fc3ded704f958fb1aa96d9e125bf

For even more events check out the IowaView Jobs and Other Opportunities Page.

World Water Day 2022 – Viewing Water from Space

Poster Front

Happy World Water Day!

Enjoy this water themed poster “Water Today and for the Future” from the AmericaView’s Earth Observation Day Team. This poster contains the creative game experience to help bring understanding to how water resources in America are used and managed for future use. You can download the poster and you can play the game online on Tabletopia. The poster is available in Spanish.

Ladies of Landsat – Many Pathways to becoming Remote Sensing Scientists

The Ladies of Landsat have shared some great USGS case study videos showcasing the paths women and girls can take to become remote sensing scientists. Three scientists stories are highlighted: Jill Deines, Africa Ixmucane Flores-Anderson, and Nikki Tulley. Read more and enjoy their stories below:

Africa Ixmucane Flores-Anderson: Using Landsat to Connect Pace to Village – Africa was inspired to help her local community in Guatemala by mapping water quality with Landsat and is now at monitoring deforestation.

Jill Deines: Using Landsat to Map Agriculture Yields and Irrigation Use – Dr. Jill Deines was was drawn to the bird’s eye view of agriculture plots growing up in the Midwest. Now she uses Landsat to monitor water resources and crop yield.

Nikki Tulley: Speaking a New Language of Landsat – Nikki grew up in the Navajo Nation without running water in her household. As PhD student at University of Arizona and Indigenous scientist, she uses Landsat to track drought conditions in her home community.

Presenting Iowa’s first Landsat 9 Image!

Yesterday the United State Geological Survey (USGS) released the first 38,000 scenes collected from the recently launch Landsat 9 (September 2021). After much calibration and quality assurance here are some of the first clear images of Iowa. For more images visit USGS Earth Explorer: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/.

Ames, Iowa

Landsat: Launching into A New Year

USGS just released a Story Map summary wrapping up 2021 and the exciting developments with the Landsat mission including a newly launched satellite and 10 million scenes in the archive mark two high points.

Here’s the link to explore it yourself: https://geonarrative.usgs.gov/launching-into-a-new-year/