June 25 is the Day of the Seafarer, a global event highlighting how much we rely on the maritime industry. Turns out, it’s a whole lot, as ships transport more than 80 percent of global trade. In honor of this occasion, we’re showing a NASA satellite view of ship tracks over the Pacific. And what are ship tracks, you ask? They’re clouds that form around particles in ship exhaust when it hits the damp ocean air. These clouds often stretch in narrow paths as in this image, reflecting ships’ courses. To the seafarers out there (1.5 million, according to the International Maritime Organization), we wish you smooth sailing and a good day at sea.
Tracking ships on the Day of the Seafarer
Today in History
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Sutherland Falls in Fiordland National Park
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Hoisting a flag for seafarers
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Birds and bees, and why they re so important
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Brown bears, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
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Al-Khazneh in Petra, Jordan
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Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
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Glastonbury Festival begins
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Buildings on Grand-Place Square in Brussels, Belgium
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Zion National Park, Utah
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Hyalite Creek at Custer Gallatin National Forest, Montana
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Lake Misurina, Dolomites, Italy
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Arrone in Umbria, Italy
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It’s not a pinecone, it’s a pangolin
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What the hay?
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National Take the Stairs Day
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Sanday Island and the North Sea, Scotland
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World Reef Awareness Day
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Christmas Bird Count
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The puffin-rabbit connection
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Wooden path to Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island, Canada
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Celebrating women in science
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Summer Olympics begin in Paris
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Yarn bombing in the village of Gurnard, England
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Endangered Species Day
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Black History Month
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At the gates of the ksar
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World Bee Day
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How green is my valley
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La Brecha de Rolando (Rolands Breach), Spain
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International Day of Peace
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A tribute to the ancestors
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Yosemite National Park turns 132
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World Childrens Day
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Jupiter and the Galilean moons
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The wild heart of Tasmania
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Celtic Colours International Festival, Canada
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

