ESA’s fireball digicam in Cáceres, Spain, captured this shocking meteor on Saturday evening, Would possibly 18, 2024. Credit score: ESA/PDO/AMS82 – AllSky7 Fireball NetworkA meteor that lit up the skies over Spain and Portugal used to be captured by means of the Meteosat 3rd Era Imager satellite tv for pc and a ground-based digicam in Spain. This tournament showcased the functions of the brand new Lightning Imager, which is designed for complicated atmospheric tracking, in particular of lightning phenomena.On Would possibly 18, the meteor burned up within the evening sky over Spain and Portugal – no longer most effective impressing the ones fortunate sufficient to look it with their very own eyes, nevertheless it used to be additionally stuck by means of the fireball digicam in Cáceres, Spain, operated by means of ESA’s Planetary Defence Place of work.And, because it used to be zooming around the skies at over 160,000 km (100,000 miles) in step with hour, it used to be additionally captured by means of the Lightning Imager at the Meteosat 3rd Era Imager satellite tv for pc soaring 36,000 km (22,000 miles) away in geostationary orbit, providing any other standpoint in this outstanding tournament.As its identify implies, the Lightning Imager will likely be used to discover lightning, as soon as it’s been absolutely commissioned following the satellite tv for pc’s release on the finish of 2022.
ESA’s fireball digicam in Cáceres, Spain, captured this shocking meteor all through the evening of Would possibly 18-19, 2024 (00:46 CEST 19 Would possibly / 22:46 UTC 18 Would possibly). Credit score: ESA/PDO/AMS82 – AllSky7 Fireball NetworkAdvanced Lightning Detection TechnologyThe Meteosat 3rd Era Imager satellite tv for pc is the primary geostationary climate satellite tv for pc that has the potential to discover lightning throughout Europe, Africa and the encompassing waters. It steadily screens greater than 80% of the Earth disc for lightning discharges, happening both between clouds or between clouds and the bottom.The device has 4 cameras masking Europe, Africa, the Heart East and portions of South The united states. Each and every digicam can seize as much as 1000 pictures in step with 2d and can steadily follow lightning job from area.Enhanced Climate ForecastingData from the Lightning Imager will give climate forecasters higher self belief of their predictions of serious storms, in particular in far flung areas and at the oceans the place lightning detection functions are restricted.Even though designed to observe lightning, it additionally captured the flashes of sunshine from the meteor burning up over Spain and Portugal.And, zooming around the skies at over 160,000 km an hour, it used to be additionally captured by means of the Lightning Imager at the Meteosat 3rd Era Imager satellite tv for pc a ways away in geostationary orbit, providing any other standpoint in this outstanding tournament.Whilst a meteor lit up the skies over Spain and Portugal not too long ago, it used to be additionally captured by means of the Meteosat 3rd Era Imager climate satellite tv for pc soaring 35,000 km away in geostationary orbit. The usage of initial information from the Lightning Imager, the animation right here presentations gentle flashes gathered over six seconds because the meteor strikes around the device’s box of view. Credit score: ESA/EUMETSATAs its identify implies, the Lightning Imager will likely be used to discover lightning, as soon as it’s been absolutely commissioned following the satellite tv for pc’s release on the finish of 2022.The Meteosat 3rd Era Imager satellite tv for pc is the primary geostationary climate satellite tv for pc that has the potential to discover lightning throughout Europe, Africa, and the encompassing waters. It steadily screens greater than 80% of the Earth disc for lightning discharges, happening both between clouds or between clouds and the bottom.The device has 4 cameras masking Europe, Africa, the Heart East, and portions of South The united states. Each and every digicam can seize as much as 1000 pictures in step with 2d and can steadily follow lightning job from area.Information from the Lightning Imager will give climate forecasters higher self belief of their predictions of serious storms, in particular in far flung areas and at the oceans the place lightning detection functions are restricted.Even though designed to observe lightning, it additionally captured the flashes of sunshine from the meteor burning up over Spain and Portugal.The usage of initial information from the Lightning Imager, the animation above presentations gentle flashes gathered over six seconds because the meteor strikes around the device’s box of view.Collaborative Satellite tv for pc MissionThe Meteosat 3rd Era challenge is a cooperation between Eumetsat and ESA. ESA is accountable creating and buying six satellites. Eumetsat defines the device necessities, develops the bottom methods, procures the release products and services, operates the satellites, and makes the information to be had to customers.The Meteosat 3rd Era satellites are constructed by means of a big consortium of Eu industries, led by means of Thales Alenia Area in cooperation with OHB. The cutting edge Lightning Imager is advanced by means of Leonardo in Italy.