May 20, 2025
Weather forecasting, mineral prospecting and farming all could improve from a trove of data the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently gathered about moonlight, late at night and far above the clouds.
NIST’s measurements of the Moon’s brightness — 10 times more accurate than previously available data — are a valuable commodity for engineers, who can use the data to calibrate the visual sensors aboard Earth-observing satellites. Proper calibration can help ensure that these satellites are accurately recording the actual amounts and colors of light from the ground, water and vegetation far below. NIST obtained its new set of moonlight measurements by deploying its equipment on a high-altitude NASA aircraft.
Source: NIST Moonlight Data Will Help Satellites Get a More Accurate Look at Earth | NIST
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