The Most Breathtaking Photos Of Earth From Space Shot In 2022

You can see the most incredible things from space. Unfortunately, most people aren't fortunate enough to be able to hop in a rocket and confirm that with their own eyes. Thankfully, we don't need to because there are satellites and astronauts up there showing us what we can't see. Every year, they offer up some unbelievable shots of the Earth, and 2022 was no different.

Last year, we were gifted with so many amazing pictures of the planet that it's hard to choose a favorite. Luckily, we don't have to. So, we now present to you the most breathtaking photos of Earth from space shot in 2022.

A satellite managed to capture the Kavachi volcano erupting in 2022

Volcanoes are something that we typically think of as existing on land and causing devastation whenever they erupt. However, that's not always true. Some volcanoes exist underwater, and not all eruptions cause widespread devastation. The Landsat 9 satellite captured proof of that in 2022 by snapping this shot of the southwest Pacific Ocean. The image shows the underwater Kavachi volcano erupting to little fanfare. The only thing that may have been affected by the eruption was the hammerheads and silky sharks that apparently live around here.

A shot of Ethiopia showed three lakes of vastly different colors

Ask someone what color water is supposed to be, and they'll almost definitely answer blue. However, as one of these breathtaking shots of Earth proves, that's not always the case. The Landsat 8 satellite managed to take a picture of three lakes in Ethiopia's Great Rift Valley last year, and each one was a different color. While Lake Shala is dark blue, Lake Abijatta is closer to green and Lake Langano more yellow. Apparently, these colors are the result of photosynthetic algae and mountain sediments, respectively.

This perspective of Mount Ruapehu reveals the acidic lake inside

We're not usually accustomed to seeing volcanoes from this angle. However, we're glad we're able to with Mount Ruapehu because there are two things we get to notice. Firstly, the spread of the snow across the mountain, which looks quite breathtaking from this vantage point. Secondly, the hydrothermal lake in the center. Apparently able to reach temperatures of 113 degrees Fahrenheit, it's a highly acidic body of water thanks to the volcanic gasses that dissolve in it. So, it's not somewhere that you'd want to go for a dip.

A satellite captured a shot of the world's largest iceberg on the move

If you've never seen the world's largest iceberg before, now's your chance. The long white mass floating in the water here is A-76A, an iceberg that's reportedly 84 miles long and 16 miles wide. It broke apart from the Ronne Ice Shelf in 2021 and was captured drifting into the Drake Passage the following year. From here, it will likely end up being dragged into warmer waters, where it will eventually melt and cease to be. It's unclear how long it might take for this to happen, though.

We're sure that there were so many more incredible pictures taken last year. For us, though, these are the most breathtaking photos of Earth from space shot in 2022. Now, bring on 2023's images!