SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY

Explore the cutting-edge technology used by the EOS satellites as they scan, survey, photograph, and monitor the Earth.

TOPEX/Jason-1 Radar Altimeter

Discover how scientists gather data to map oceans and ocean temperatures, which helps them to understand how oceans affect the weather. Stand under the TOPEX/Jason-1 radar altimeter and watch as the satellite passes overhead, measuring your personal “altitude” as well as the height of everything else in its path. Then analyze the data by checking the readout and comparing the various scanned heights. This is the same technique employed by the TOPEX/Jason-1 as it flies above the world’s oceans, measuring wave height, wind speeds, tides, ocean heights, and changes in currents.

Hot Or Not

Explore in more depth how satellites measure ocean temperature and create ocean maps by using pixels to create an image. Perform the function of a satellite by using an infrared pyrometer to scan a seemingly blank wall that in actuality is made up of a variety of tiles that are hot, cold or room temperature. After scanning the various sections of the wall, transfer that information to a picture grid, creating an infrared image. Learn that when creating ocean maps, the scanned areas are given color codes according to their temperature and are then used like pixels to create a temperature map much in the same way a television screen or computer monitor uses pixels to create an image.

Ozone Zone

What is the ozone layer, what is its importance to the Earth, how do scientists measure it, and why? Watch as a black light changes the color of ultra-violet (UV) sensitive material. Try to block or diffuse the UV rays using your hand, sunglasses, sunscreen, or objects of your own. By testing these “UV filtration systems,” discover how the ozone filters out harmful UV rays from the Earth’s surface. Copy panels are accented with images taken by satellites, including pictures of the infamous holes in the ozone layer.

The Earth Today

Monitor Earth at this satellite data station. NASA software connects you directly to the Internet, where you can images from the many Earth Observing System satellites. Track ocean temperatures, wind speeds, glacial changes and tropical rainfall. Maybe you will be the one who detects the climate trend changes heralding the next El Niño or La Niña.

Near and Far

Examine our planet from beyond the upper reaches of the atmosphere. See what it’s like to “look through the eyes” of a satellite by searching for landmarks from low and high orbits in front of a six-foot by six-foot satellite image of Earth. Learn how distance affects the amount of detail in satellite images and how NASA scientists use close-up and wide-angle images to accomplish different scientific goals.

The Bigger the Better

See how important lens size and aperture is to the detail and clarity of a satellite image. Look at the same image through two identical spotting scopes, one of which has had its aperture significantly decreased. Notice how the change in aperture alters image clarity.

Pixel Story

Explore camera resolution by creating images with hands-on pin boards. Expanding on the importance of resolution and pixels in imaging, investigate the effects of resolution as you place objects under varying pin boards, noting the different representations created by different sized pins.

Image Gallery

View stunning photographs and data renderings of the Earth as obtained by various EOS satellites. Beautiful four-foot by four-foot images hung on stylized rocket stands along with audio samples of an actual NASA satellite launching mission really enhance the space-like environment. Images include a rendering of a hurricane, the Earth at night, views of the globe from various satellites, space views of natural landmarks, and more!

Eyes On Earth is produced and developed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), funded by NASA and sponsored locally by Lockheed Martin and The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD).