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A satellite is an object that orbits a larger object, such as a planet. The earth’s
moon is an example of a natural satellite; weather satellites are the result
of human ingenuity. There are two main types of weather satellites,
defined by their orbital characteristics: Polar Operational Environmental
Satellites (POES) and
Geostationary Operational
Environmental Satellites (GOES). Most satellite images seen on the local
television news or The Weather Channel are produced by GOES satellites. GOES
Satellites orbit the earth above the equator at the same speed as the earth
rotates so they can transmit a continuous picture of the region below. POES orbits
are significantly lower and shorter, taking about 100 minutes to travel from
pole to pole and produce high resolution "snapshots" of the Earth.
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