A live planet monitor anyone can use
PlanetSentry is a free, web-based platform that tracks natural disasters and earth-system events in real time on an interactive 3D globe. It pulls data from multiple authoritative sources including NASA EONET, USGS, NOAA, GDACS, and atmospheric monitoring services to create a unified view of what is happening across the planet right now.
The idea is simple: instead of checking five different government dashboards, you open one globe and see wildfires burning in Canada, earthquakes shaking Turkey, tropical storms forming in the Pacific, and volcanic eruptions in Iceland — all on the same surface, all updated continuously.
Why open data is the foundation
Every data point in PlanetSentry comes from a publicly funded, publicly accessible scientific or emergency-management source. NASA's Earth Observatory Natural Event Tracker (EONET) provides the broadest event catalog. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) adds detailed earthquake data with magnitude, depth, and felt reports. NOAA's National Hurricane Center contributes tropical cyclone tracking. The Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) layers in humanitarian severity context.
This matters because transparency is not optional for disaster information. When someone sees a wildfire marker on the map, they should be able to trace it back to the exact source feed and timestamp. PlanetSentry preserves that provenance chain instead of hiding it behind a proprietary score.
- NASA EONET — broad multi-category event catalog covering 13 natural event types
- USGS — authoritative earthquake data with magnitude, depth, and location precision
- NOAA NHC — tropical cyclone tracking with official storm names and forecast data
- GDACS — humanitarian alert context that flags operationally significant disasters
- Open-Meteo and CAMS — atmospheric overlays including air quality and weather patterns
The 3D globe as an interface decision
Flat maps distort the planet. A Mercator projection makes Greenland look larger than Africa, and it breaks the intuitive spatial relationships between events happening on different continents. PlanetSentry uses a 3D globe rendered with MapLibre GL because it preserves true geographic relationships and makes it natural to orbit, zoom, and explore events in context.
The globe is not decorative. It is the primary navigation instrument. Click a cluster, fly to an event, switch imagery layers, compare dates — the interaction model is designed so the map does the work instead of forcing users through menus and dropdown filters.
Who uses PlanetSentry
The platform serves journalists who need a fast situational overview before filing a story, researchers tracking event patterns over time, educators who want a live classroom tool, emergency-awareness professionals who monitor multiple regions, and curious individuals who simply want to understand what the planet is doing today.
PlanetSentry is not an emergency dispatch system or official warning authority. When a hazard is active and affects your area, always follow your local emergency management, national meteorological service, and civil protection authorities. The platform helps you see the bigger picture, not replace the official action chain.