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Satellite Images, Meteorology, Weather, Space, Planets, Moons, Arctic Earth: HRPT derived images
The Azimuth-Elevation dish set-up on the roof and the control centre This section aims at sharing some of the wonderful views one can obtain of earth from a number of polar orbiting satellites. Unless indicated otherwise, all data has been received with an 85 cm prime focus dish, equipped with a 60 dB LNA/C that converts the 1700 MHz signal to a better transportable 140-150 MHz frequency. The dish is mounted on a 360 degree azimuth and 180 degrees elevation dual rotator setup that is controlled by a Kenpro KR5400B. The converted signal is fed into an SSB/Orbit receiver card and associated data card that produce the raw picture file info with 10 bits depth. The picture files are then fed into an excellent program by David Taylor, called ReadHRPT. This program allows to save pictures in various formats and with or without correction for geographic distortion. Cropping and/or further enhancements to pictures is done with PhotoShop 7. The limits to the vision from my home location (52.3 N, 5.26 E, sea level) are determined by variables such as the signal strength of the transmitting satellite, atmospheric conditions, and the satellite orbit for the day of capture, and fixed parameters such as equipment used, horizon pollution and in my case a GSM antenna some one kilometer SSW from my dish that drowns any signal in a box of 5 by 5 degrees. As far as direct reception is concerned thus far I have obtained images that reach: Canaries, Mauritania, Libya to Egypt in the South; Middle East, Iraq and Western Iran in the South-East; Caspian, Aral to Middle Siberia in the East; Nova & Severnaya Zemlya, Svalbard, Polar Icecap to the North; and finally the whole of Greenland and parts of Canadian Ellesmere until Newfoundland on the West. At two occasions the combination of orbital tilt and atmospheric horizon reflection was such that I captured a two minute polar crossing, with a satellite vision well over to the other side of the pole. During these events the satellite never came higher than -0.2 degrees as seen from my vantage point. Images from outside the reach of my antenna equipment come with courtesy to NOAA via the SAA distribution mechanism. The presented images may be used for private purposes only. In case of re-publication or further use on the web the source of the image must be indicated. Other means of distribution and/or commercial use are expressly forbidden without my written consent. Please contact me first at: fvalk @ fvalk dot com In case you would like to provide feedback to the subject of this page or to request for an image of a specific region within the reach of my location, mail me to: fvalk @ fvalk dot com The Links page offers some hyperlinks to other sites of interest in the same field. Image Galleries: Taking into consideration that at my latitude there is a substantial difference in lighting between summer and winter, as well as a huge difference in recorded temperatures (both are used in the algorithm to produce false color images), distinction has been made between images produced in summer and in winter time. Therefore you will find the images grouped into different categories: - Images of areas as taken during Northern hemisphere Autumn or Winter time: click here - Images of areas as taken during Northern hemisphere Spring or Summer time: click here - Event Imagery, larger pictures and images upon request: click here. Please note that these may be slow to open or download. - Image gallery of the activities of Mount Etna on Sicily, Italy: click here - Image of the day: In principle full size or semi-full size images are presented daily for the amateur meteorologist, for general interest or just for their appeal. Click here to go to that page. |
