GOOD PICTURES RECEIVED

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31001, 5 March 1966, Page 1

GOOD PICTURES RECEIVED

The first pictures from the new Essa II weather satellite were received on equipment at the United States Navy base at Christchurch airport yesterday morning. The definition of the pictures is considered to be far better than those received from the earlier Tiros satellite. Mr A. K. Brown, the chief observer at the Meteorological Office at Christchurch airport, said yesterday that of the three pictures received the first was the best. “This picture showed up an area from north of New Zealand to south to Campbell Island and from the midTasman to well east of the Chathams,” said Mr Brown. The second picture from Essa II was centred more over the central Tasman, while the third was too far to the west of the Dominion.

Essa II will orbit every 113 minutes and Christchurch should receive up to four pictures an orbit, he said. Orbits over the Dominion take place between 8 a.m. and noon. Mr Brown said that meteorological service staff at the airport will operate the receiving equipment at the American base during the winter when the American meteorologists have returned home. He made it clear that, contrary to some people's views, the satellite was not a weather forecaster. It was rather another aid to forecasting by its observation of cloud cover from above. The illustration shows the weather photograph as it was received at Harewood. Outlined are part of the South Island and a section of the Northland coast.