22/05/2024
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Whereas a meteor lit up the skies over Spain and Portugal not too long ago, it was additionally captured by the Meteosat Third Era Imager climate satellite tv for pc hovering 36,000 km away in geostationary orbit.
On 18 Might, the meteor burned up within the evening sky over Spain and Portugal – not solely impressing these fortunate sufficient to see it with their very own eyes, nevertheless it was additionally caught by the fireball digicam in Cáceres, Spain, operated by ESA’s Planetary Defence Workplace
And, zooming throughout the skies at over 160,000 km an hour, it was additionally captured by the Lightning Imager on the Meteosat Third Era Imager satellite tv for pc far-off in geostationary orbit, providing one other perspective on this exceptional occasion.
As its title implies, the Lightning Imager will probably be used to detect lightning, as soon as it has been totally commissioned following the satellite tv for pc’s launch on the finish of 2022.
The Meteosat Third Era Imager satellite tv for pc is the primary geostationary climate satellite tv for pc that has the aptitude to detect lightning throughout Europe, Africa and the encompassing waters. It repeatedly screens greater than 80% of the Earth disc for lightning discharges, going down both between clouds or between clouds and the bottom.
The instrument has 4 cameras protecting Europe, Africa, the Center East and elements of South America. Every digicam can seize as much as 1000 photos per second and can repeatedly observe lightning exercise from area.
Information from the Lightning Imager will give climate forecasters higher confidence of their predictions of extreme storms, significantly in distant areas and on the oceans the place lightning detection capabilities are restricted.
Though designed to observe lightning, it additionally captured the flashes of sunshine from the meteor burning up over Spain and Portugal.
Utilizing preliminary information from the Lightning Imager, the animation above exhibits mild flashes collected over six seconds because the meteor strikes throughout the instrument’s subject of view.
The Meteosat Third Era mission is a cooperation between Eumetsat and ESA. ESA is accountable growing and procuring six satellites. Eumetsat defines the system necessities, develops the bottom programs, procures the launch companies, operates the satellites, and makes the information obtainable to customers.
The Meteosat Third Era satellites are constructed by a big consortium of European industries, led by Thales Alenia House in cooperation with OHB. The revolutionary Lightning Imager is developed by Leonardo in Italy.
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