Latest Terra News

snow cover map derived from MODIS data

How 2012 Snow Stacks Up

The relatively mild winter of 2012 has many people asking, "Where's the snow?" These maps show the answer.

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CERES longwave data visualization

'First Light' Taken by NASA's Newest CERES Instrument

The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System instrument had its 'first light' moment aboard the Suomi NPP satellite.

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Cumuls Congestus by Graeme Stephens

NASA-led Study Solves Case of Earth's 'Missing Energy'

Inconsistencies between satellite observations of Earth's heat and measurements of ocean heating led NASA scientists to reexamine the data to solve ...

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clouds

Student Observations Validate NASA Satellites

NASA's Students' Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL) program has received 100,000 cloud observations from students around the world.

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ground-level shot of rainforest burning

Ocean Temperatures Can Predict Amazon Fire Season ...

Researchers created a model to predict the severity and geographic distribution of fires in the Amazon rain forest and the rest of South America ...

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About Terra

    NASA launched the Earth Observing System's flagship satellite "Terra," named for Earth, on December 18, 1999. Terra has been collecting data about Earth's changing climate. Terra carries five state-of-the-art sensors that have been studying the interactions among the Earth's atmosphere, lands, oceans, and radiant energy. Each sensor has unique design features that will enable scientists to meet a wide range of science objectives. The five Terra onboard sensors are:
    • ASTER, or Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer
    • CERES, or Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System
    • MISR, or Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer
    • MODIS, or Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
    • MOPITT, or Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere
    › Learn More About Terra

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