Aerial Photography

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Announcing the Winners of Smithsonian Magazine’s 20th Annual Photo Contest

From Norway to Nepal, this year’s winning images span the globe to capture the extraordinary

Giraffe drinking with oxpecker birds in the background in South Africa

View 16 Breathtaking Images From the Nature Conservancy's Annual Photo Contest

The winning shots feature everything from glowing mushrooms to sauntering lions

Glowing green waters surrounded a boat in the Arabian Sea.

What Causes Swaths of the Ocean to Glow a Magnificent Milky Green?

A sailor who witnessed the rare phenomenon in person and a scientist who saw it from the sky team up to learn about the ghostly light

In a 1929 column, Amelia Earhart name-checked Keating as an example of a woman in aviation who had beaten the odds, writing, "She photographs from the air and helps make the beautifully accurate maps which compose aerial surveys."

Untold Stories of American History

In 1920s New York, This Woman Typist Became a Pioneering Aerial Photographer

Edith Keating survived the Halifax Explosion and eventually took to the skies, marking a path for other women to fly in her wake

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These Are the Winners of Smithsonian Magazine's 19th Annual Photo Contest

From the beauty of bodies in motion to the symbiotic behaviors of insects, these photographers captured fascinating moments in time

The free online map highlights sites spanning prehistoric times to the modern era, including this Roman fort next to Hadrian's Wall.

This Interactive Map Lets Users Explore England's Hidden Archaeological Landscape

A new online tool draws on more than 500,000 aerial photographs taken over the past 30 years

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter’s shadow seen on the surface of Mars and captured by its own down-facing camera during its second test flight on April 22.

NASA's Ingenuity Helicopter's Next Mission? Mapping the Red Planet From Above

After successful test flights, NASA is expanding Ingenuity’s mission to further explore its abilities as an aerial scout

The hot, dry summer of 2018 revealed the long-lost outlines of Roman forts and roads in Wales. This photo shows a Roman fort discovered near Carrow Hill.

Cool Finds

Drought Reveals Traces of Ancient Roman Structures in Wales

Archaeologists used aerial photographs to discover previously unknown forts and roads in water-starved fields across the country

The color-enhanced image was created by citizen scientists Gerald Eichstädt and Seán Doran using data from the spacecraft's JunoCam imager, according to NASA.

Cool Finds

Juno's Latest Photo of Jupiter Is Breathtaking

The image, processed from JunoCam's raw data, shows storms and winds in the planet's Northern Temperate Belt

Deep, lush colors in the Turkey Red Cabinet set of 1911 (above, Safe at Third) led many to tack these on their walls as works of art.

Would Baseball have Become America’s National Pastime Without Baseball Cards?

Tobacco companies spurred the mania, but artistry won the hearts of collectors

Thousands of migratory birds fly over Northern California in February.

Photo Contest Featured Photographer

From Lava Tentacles to Abandoned Car Lots, This Acclaimed Violinist Turned Aerial Photographer Captures Our World From 2,000 Feet Up

Jassen Todorov, a professor of music, shares his journey into the world of aerial photography

New Research

Massive Gathering of Mysterious Basking Sharks Found in Aerial Photos

In 2013, nearly 1,400 of the normally solitary filter feeders had a party off the coast of southern New England

Spiral chairs pay homage to both the museum and the helicoid shape of DNA.

Hirshhorn's Redesigned Lobby Sheds New Light on a Classic Washington D.C. Building

The Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, known for his pensive images, is taking on the role of architect and designer

Despite the best efforts of many investigators, no one was able to solve the riddle of exactly how Mumler created his apparitions.

Meet Mr. Mumler, the Man Who “Captured” Lincoln’s Ghost on Camera

When America’s first aerial cameraman met an infamous spirit photographer, the chemistry was explosive

“Salt Series” taken during a low-altitude flight in Western Australia.

Australia's Salt Ponds Look Like Beautiful, Abstract Art From Above

Taking to the sky to show how industry shapes the earth

Earth sparkles by night.

Cool Finds

Black Marble Photo Shows Off Earth's Darker Side

The composite shot could one day help scientists make the most of the night sky

Here's what Earth looked like on January 15.

Check Out Breathtaking Images From NOAA’s Newest Satellite

In a word: wow

Cool Finds

Check Out NASA's Picks for This Year's Best Images of Earth

From sunsets to city lights, the images capture the beauty of our ever-changing planet

The first photo of Earth from the moon was taken on August 23, 1966.

Cool Finds

Fifty Years Ago, This Photo Captured the First View of Earth From the Moon

And Earth’s view of itself changed forever

This crater with curious ridges in its center is a possible future site for exploration

Cool Finds

Explore Far Out Views From Mars' Surface With Over 1,000 New Photos

It's the Martian "magic hour"

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