New space website gives Europe's weather data

PARIS (AFP) Feb 13, 2004
The European Space Agency (ESA) on Friday launched a website (http://weathertoday.esa.int) that will give Europeans the chance to decide for themselves whether the day is likely to be sunny, cloudy or rainy.

The satellite pictures, showing rolling clouds sweeping across a relief map of Europe, are the kind shown on TV weather bulletins, but are updated constantly.

The data comes from Eumetsat, the intergovernmental organisation for the exploitation of European satellites.

It has a satellite, Meteosat-7, that is perched in geostationary orbit above the Gulf of Guinea.

At this altitude, 36,000 kilometers (22,500 miles), Meteosat-7 does not move relative to the position below, so it can provide 24-hour coverage, scanning light in the visible and infrared parts of the energy spectrum, as well as water vapour.

Meteosat 7 updates its images every 30 minutes. Meteosat-8, the first of a high-powered second generation of satellites, which was placed in orbit last month, will provide an update every 15 minutes.

SPACE.WIRE