Near real time satellite images

Satellite data are easily accessible as they can be found for example on the websites of organisations as ESA, NASA, etc. Near real time satellite images, archives with older data and recent case studies that concern people worldwide (i.e. environmental accidents, natural disasters, extreme weather, etc.) are provided free of charge. 

Click here to observe and discuss the present weather with Meteosat images for all countries in Europe and Africa free, simple and without registration.

 

 

 

 

See also the following instruction videos:

 

 

 

MultiSpec and Landsat images

You can use specialised software for analysing and processing images and data. For example you can use Multispec that is a freeware Multispectral Image Data Analysis System developed at Purdue University. Multispec is suitable for introducing students to satellite remote sensing through the use of basic remote sensing techniques (classification, RGB analysis, histogram analysis, etc.). For example you can analyse the characteristics of an area of your preference through satellite image RGB combinations.

Landsat satellite images are appropriate for analysing the characteristics of an area due to their spatial resolution. Landsat 8 images consist of nine spectral bands with a spatial resolution of 30 meters for Bands 1 to 7 and 9. Thermal bands 10 and 11 are useful in providing more accurate surface temperatures and are collected at 100 meters. More information about Landsat 8 images or earlier you can find here. (Registration is required in order to download free Landsat images)

In order to process Landsat images in Multispec you can follow the steps:

Step 1: Download MultiSpec (Instruction video: Download MultiSpec)

Step 2: Install MultiSpec (Instruction video: Install MultiSpec)

Step 3: Sign in and download Landsat Images

Step 4: Import and process Landsat images in MultiSpec (Tutorial video: Import and process Landsat Images in MultiSpec)

Click here for some more theoretical background.

 

BliF 

Teachers can also use BliF (see screenshot in Figure 4) to interpret and analyse satellite images. BliF is a web application for analysing satellite images. It is designed primarily for the use in education and has a user friendly interface. Instructors can use BliF to teach remote sensing techniques without the use of advanced software, free of charge and with a lot of supportive material. BliF has three levels (beginners, advanced learners and professional users) and also provides an assistant guided mode.

In order to use BliF in your classroom you should visit this web page and send a message to retrieve a user name and a password. Afterwards you will be able to launch the application. The application has an archive of satellite images. For the moment BliF is only available in German.