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On October 31, 2017, NASA's Aqua satellite captured this mostly cloud-free view of the Seward Peninsula and the Bering Strait. The autumn sun is low in the sky this time of year, and the mountains and clouds cast long shadows. But despite the approaching polar night, sea ice had yet to accumulate significantly in the region's protected waters. For much of the winter, near-shore sea ice remained thin and unstable, with negative consequences for coastal communities. NASA satellite image from Worldview.