← Today's Issue / Science / May 17, 2026

Kyushu's volcanoes make NASA's image of the day

NASA's MODIS gallery for May 17 focuses on Kyushu, Japan, including Sakurajima, one of the world's most active volcanoes.

NASA MODIS Gallery NASA GSFC 3 min
Kyushu's volcanoes make NASA's image of the day
Image filed alongside the story.

NASA's MODIS image for May 17 looks down on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands. The accompanying note points to the island's volcanic setting and to Sakurajima, a volcano whose usual activity can be mild but persistent, with ash and lava fragments part of the rhythm.

It is a strong image-of-the-day pick because it makes planetary systems legible without turning them into abstraction. A quiet orbital view contains tectonic history, human proximity and the operational work of monitoring hazards before they become headlines.

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