Satellites in orbit have captured stunning images of Earth for decades, but it's not always comfortable or easy to access them (even if they are in the public domain). Fortunately, new tools are emerging, and one of them is EO Browser, with fabulous data from the Landsat program and the Sentinel missions of the Copernicus Programme directed by the European Space Agency.
Observing the Earth is critical, no matter how much the politicians of the moment with their budget cuts and short-sighted vision fail to understand it. Past, present, and future parade through every image downloaded from a satellite. From the evolution of cities to the advance of other effects, including erosion and deforestation, everything is seen clearly up there.
Experts have provided some very powerful resources, such as the Landsat and Copernicus programs. The material collected by these programs quickly becomes generally available, but what is needed is a simpler and more intuitive interface to explore it. That's when EO Browser comes in.
Satellite Images for Everyone
EO Browser elegantly combines all images from the Sentinel 2, Sentinel 3, and Proba-V missions of the European Space Agency, and the last three Landsat missions: 5, 7, and 8 (remember that Landsat 6 never reached orbit). EO Browser lets us compare images over time, and apply special filters such as false color or NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index).
There is also the option to customize the visualization process, and this happens in the browser, without external plugins or a formal registration. Depending on the image, EO Browser may ask us to change the zoom, but nothing more than that.
In total, we are dealing with complete petabytes of data if we combine the latest available images with those kept in digital archives. Another very interesting aspect is that downloads are optional. Advanced processing runs on the cloud without problems, but if at the end of the day you want a JPG, nothing will stop you from getting it. EO Browser is a formidable resource, and it deserves your time.
