Images
August 11, 2026 - Iceland
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In contrast to the icy-white blanket that covers Iceland in winter, summer sunshine reveals a different picture of the country—one in which green and tan tones dominate. Glaciers and ice caps make up roughly 10 percent of Iceland and, although they are shrinking as temperatures warm, they are still prominent and eye-catching features when seen from space, even in the summer.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of late summer in Iceland on August 10, 2026.
Several icecaps and glaciers are prominent in this image. The largest ice cap, Vatnajökull, is located near the southeast coast. It is edged with numerous glaciers and tongues, many of which carry their own name. One famous glacier is Öræfajökull, where the highest peak of Iceland can be found. Like all the other icecaps visible in this image, the center of Vatnajökull is bright white, indicating solid ice, but the edges appear gray. This indicates waterlogged ice typical of ice melt.
Two smaller ice caps Langjökull and Hofsjökull are found in the central highlands, and the smallest ice cap, Mýrdalsjökull, sits near the southern coast. Iceland’s sixth-largest glacier, Eyjafjallajökull is located very near Mýrdalsjökull. Active volcanic systems underly all of these ice caps—and the combination gives the country its nickname of “The Land of Fire and Ice”.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 8/10/2026
Resolutions:
1km (233 KB), 500m (674.3 KB), 250m (1.7 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
In contrast to the icy-white blanket that covers Iceland in winter, summer sunshine reveals a different picture of the country—one in which green and tan tones dominate. Glaciers and ice caps make up roughly 10 percent of Iceland and, although they are shrinking as temperatures warm, they are still prominent and eye-catching features when seen from space, even in the summer.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this true-color image of late summer in Iceland on August 10, 2026.
Several icecaps and glaciers are prominent in this image. The largest ice cap, Vatnajökull, is located near the southeast coast. It is edged with numerous glaciers and tongues, many of which carry their own name. One famous glacier is Öræfajökull, where the highest peak of Iceland can be found. Like all the other icecaps visible in this image, the center of Vatnajökull is bright white, indicating solid ice, but the edges appear gray. This indicates waterlogged ice typical of ice melt.
Two smaller ice caps Langjökull and Hofsjökull are found in the central highlands, and the smallest ice cap, Mýrdalsjökull, sits near the southern coast. Iceland’s sixth-largest glacier, Eyjafjallajökull is located very near Mýrdalsjökull. Active volcanic systems underly all of these ice caps—and the combination gives the country its nickname of “The Land of Fire and Ice”.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 8/10/2026
Resolutions:
1km (233 KB), 500m (674.3 KB), 250m (1.7 MB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
