The European Space Agency has an incredible Observing the Earth archive that’s updated every week and each satellite image is usually accompanied by a brief essay to explain a bit about what you’re looking at. Collected here are some of our favorite images from the last few years taken with too many different satellites to mention, and you can search photos back through 2005 here.

Namib Desert / October 5, 2013

Ganges’ dazzling delta / July 31, 2009

Scandinavian snows / February 1, 2013

Mississippi River Delta / May 25, 2012

Clearwater Lakes, Canada / May 17, 2013

Peruvian landscape / July 4, 2013

Plentiful plankton / September 14, 2009

Swirling cloud art in the Atlantic Ocean / June 11, 2010

Agricultural crops in Aragon and Catalonia / November 26, 2010