Contest 'Seize the beauty of our Planet' for the best satellite image of Earth

The annual international contest 'Seize the beauty of our Planet' recognizes the most beautiful satellite images of the Earth. This year's theme is Cities and nature.

It is the 6th time that CloudFerro, a Copernicus Ambassador, has invited Earth observation specialists, climate researchers and enthusiasts to join the contest and turn satellite data into powerful messages. The submission phase has ended, and starting October 30 you can vote for the ones you like most.

This year we were looking for best images on the theme of 'Cities and nature' as captured by Earth observation satellites. To join our contest, users needed to generate a satellite image of their chosen location and submit it to us on a dedicated webpage. The image could be generated on any platform with Copernicus Earth observation data, such as CREODIAS, Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, WEkEO, CODE-DE or EO-Lab.

Compelling images capture public and policy attention. We invited EO specialists to seize satellite-derived view of an urban area of their choice to help tell a story that matters for the planet. The imagery can galvanize communities and policymakers to plan cities that thrive with nature and serve the people who live in them.

What are the goals of the contest

Join forces to protect our Planet, in this year's edition we are focused on cities – we want to support the joint efforts of many European, international and regional organisations in promoting sustainable growth of urban areas, with respect for the natural environment.

Educate about the irreversible effects of climate change, in particular regarding urban areas - let's bring the attention of decision-makers and communities to the challenges of today's cities and the needs of their inhabitants.

Promote Copernicus Programme - as a Copernicus Ambassador, CloudFerro aims to highlight the the key role that the Copernicus Earth observation data plays not only in environmental research but also in effective and cost-efficient urban planning and monitoring.

How to vote?

The submission phase pf the contest has ended.

To see all the images submitted and approved for voting, please go to the Voting Page that will be active from 30 Oct 12:00 PM CET.

Contest schedule

How are the winners selected and what are the prizes?

12 images with the highest number of votes will be the finalists and will proceed to the 2nd phase, in which a Jury consisting of EO experts will vote for the best 3. The authors of the 3 images with the highest number of the Jury votes will be awarded the following prizes:

• Apple iPad 10,9" 64GB - 1st place
• Apple Watch SE 2nd gen. - 2nd place
• Apple AirPods 4 ANC - 3rd place

The authors of all the entries accepted for the 1st phase of the contest will be awarded a CloudFerro calendar for 2026 composed of the winning images.

What were the image requirements

1. The satellite image submitted to the contest should depict an urban area.

2. The image needed to be obtained on an Earth observation platform (such as CREODIAS, Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, WEkEO, CODE-DE or EO-Lab) by means of tools available on these platforms.

3. The satellite data could be visualized in a dedicated software of the user's choice (e.g. QGIS) to highlight the phenomena you wish to show. We prepared a tutorial on how to create an image for the contest.

4. The image had to meet a minimum requirement of 250 dpi, 6500 x 5000 pixels, but less than 8000 px.

5. Each contest entry had to be described with details such as: name of the place, location, name of the satellite that generated the image/data you used, the date of the satellite observation. Please add your motivation for choosing this particular place/city.

6. Only ONE image could be submitted by each contestant.

7. The image could be enhanced with Earth observation or photo editing software but it could NOT contain any text or additional graphic elements such as labels, logos or similar.

Where users could generate the contest image

In the contest, we are looking for the best satellite images depicting an urban area.  The images could be generated on an Earth observation platforms with Copernicus programme data, such as:

• CREODIAS - a European Copernicus DIAS platform, commissioned by European Space Agency, that combines public cloud computing, access to a satellite image repository, and a range of applications that allow users to search, view, and process satellite products. It is the first commercial element of the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem.
• Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem -  launched in January 2023, it is the largest EO data offering in the world and the main EO data dissemination endpoint of the European Space Agency (ESA), with outstanding discovery and download capabilities, and a set of data processing tools. It is built by a consortium of European cloud and Earth observation service providers: T-Systems, CloudFerro, Sinergise, VITO, DLR, ACRI-ST, and RHEA.
• WEkEO - another European Copernicus DIAS jointly implemented by EUMETSAT, ECMWF, EEA and MERCATOR OCEAN. It provides combined access to environmental data and information from the Copernicus Sentinels and the Copernicus Monitoring Services, together with virtual environment for data processing and skilled user support.
• CODE-DE - a German national platform for authorities and other public institutions commissioned by DLR that provides easy and efficient access to all Copernicus remote sensing data about Germany, a virtual secure working environment for processing these data and extensive information materials and trainings to support the users.
• EO-Lab - a German platform commissioned by DLR, providing a development environment for researchers from both scientific and commercial entities, which draws upon new cloud technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse a big amount of Earth Observation data.
• other Copernicus platforms.

Why the theme of Cities and nature?

Urban development poses significant environmental challenges as cities around the world expand to accommodate an increasingly urbanized population, which is expected to reach 68% by 2050 in the world, and 83.7 % in Europe. As cities continue to evolve, understanding the dynamics of urban growth and its environmental implications is crucial for fostering inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban futures that benefit both our communities and the planet. [1] [2] [3]

This rapid urbanization not only drives economic growth – contributing approx. 80% of global GDP – but also exacerbates environmental issues, such as habitat loss, pollution, and increased greenhouse gas emissions, which currently account for about 75% of global emissions. The intricate balance between urban growth and environmental sustainability has made it a critical area of concern for urban planners, policymakers, and environmentalists alike. [4] [5]

Monitoring urban environments from space has become increasingly important. Remote sensing technologies and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide valuable data that can inform sustainable urban planning by enabling assessments of land use, air quality, and the impacts of development on local ecosystems. Earth observation is a backbone of crisis management and risk assessment. [6] [7]

That's why, this year we encourage participants of the contest to share an image that reveals how cities and nature can thrive together, or one that can spotlight today's urban challenges. This can help the public see what’s at stake and motivate leaders to act for greener, safer and resilient urban futures.

Ushuaia, Argentina, the world's southernmost city, situated between the Beagle Channel and the Martial Mountain range in the southern Argentine. Contains Copernicus Sentinel-2 modified data (7 April, 2025).. Contains Copernicus Sentinel-2 modified data (2025).

About the Copernicus data

Satellite observations play a key role in efficient and cost effective monitoring of the Earth ecosystems, and remote sensing techniques prove highly beneficial in this area. The European Copernicus Earth Observation programme provides data that has many attributes, spectral and spatial ones, about oceans, lands and atmosphere. They provide us with resources for environmental analysis in all dimensions, from local to global and from visible to radar techniques.

Scientists have developed various indices like NDVI, NDWI, and SMI, which are essential tools for Earth observation. NDVI measures vegetation health by comparing near-infrared (NIR) and red visible light wavelengths. NDWI, or Normalized Water Index, indicates water body extent and reflects biomass water content, commonly used in water management. The Soil Moisture Index (SMI) estimates soil moisture content using Sentinel-1 radar data. Additionally, SWIR or NIR data can help assess land dryness, vegetation coverage, and map extreme events like wildfires or flash floods.

By organising the contest we want to promote the use of satellite imagery that is a vital tool for understanding processes taking place on Earth on a larger scale, offering global coverage and instant access to accurate data.

Please contact us at communications [at] cloudferro.com for any questions that you may have. We will be happy to help you.

The details of the contest can be found here: Terms and Conditions (PDF).