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GOES-16 Satellite delivers breathtaking Earth Images

Earth and-Moon. GOES-16 image.
Launched on November 19, 2016 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the satellite now known as GOES-16 can now observe planet Earth from a geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above the equator. Its Advanced Baseline Imager captured this contrasting view of Earth and a gibbous Moon on January 15. The stark and airless Moon is not really the focus of GOES-16, though. Capable of providing a high resolution full disk image of Earth every 15 minutes in 16 spectral channels, the new generation satellite's instrumentation is geared to provide sharper, more detailed views of Earth's dynamic weather systems and enable more accurate weather forecasting. Like previous GOES weather satellites, GOES-16 will use the moon over our fair planet as a calibration target. Image: NASA.gov

The first set of images from the GOES-16 satellite (see notes 1) have been released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (N0AA). In the video below, published by Space.com, you can see the amazing images of the Earth and the Moon.

Breathtaking Earth Images Delivered By New NOAA Satellite (GOES-16)
Earth and-Moon. GOES-16 image.
Launched on November 19, 2016, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the satellite now known as GOES-16 can now observe planet Earth from a geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above the equator. Its Advanced Baseline Imager captured this contrasting view of Earth and a gibbous Moon on January 15. The stark and airless Moon is not really the focus of GOES-16, though. Capable of providing a high-resolution full disk image of Earth every 15 minutes in 16 spectral channels, the new generation satellite’s instrumentation is geared to provide sharper, more detailed views of Earth’s dynamic weather systems and enable more accurate weather forecasting. Like previous GOES weather satellites, GOES-16 will use the Moon over our fair planet as a calibration target. Image: NASA.gov

Notes

  1. Launched on November 19, 2016, GOES-16, previously known as GOES-R, is the first of the GOES-R series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) operated by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It provides atmospheric and surface measurements of the Earth’s Western Hemisphere for weather forecasting, severe storm tracking, space weather monitoring, and meteorological research. It is NOAA’s first geostationary weather satellite (see notes 2).
  2. A geostationary orbit, geostationary Earth orbit, or geosynchronous equatorial orbit (GEO) is a circular orbit 35,786 kilometers (22,236 mi) above the Earth’s equator and following the direction of the Earth’s rotation. An object in such an orbit has an orbital period equal to the Earth’s rotational period (one sidereal day) and thus appears motionless, at a fixed position in the sky, to ground observers.
Geostationary, Molniya, Tundra, Polar & Sun Synchronous Orbits Explained. Video by Scott Manley.
Illustrating different classes of orbits commonly used by satellites in Earth orbit, there are special classes of orbit designed to solve certain problems and the physics behind them is important.
M. Özgür Nevres
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Özgür Nevres

By M. Özgür Nevres

I am a software developer and a science enthusiast. I was graduated from the Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Computer Engineering. In the past, I worked at the Istanbul Technical University Science Center as a science instructor. I write about the planet Earth and science on this website, ourplnt.com. I am also an animal lover! I take care of stray cats & dogs. This website's all income goes directly to our furry friends. Please consider supporting me on Patreon, so I can help more animals!

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