In new NASA photos, see Gulf of Mexico oil spill from space

The folks at NASA have assembled a series of time-lapse photos, over a 35-day period, of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Using images from its Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS, tethered to its Aqua and Terra satellites that orbit the globe, the series shows the view from space of how the spill — which began on April 20, 2010 with the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig — has progressively gotten worse through May 24, 2010.

NASA says the oil slick appears grayish-beige in the images, and changes with the weather, ocean currents and use of oil dispersing chemicals.

Here’s a look:

The images only show oil at the surface — there’s plenty more beneath it.

The full image archive is available from NASA’s MODIS Rapid Response site.

[via Mother Jones]