This is an unprecedented image of a trio of Category 4 hurricanes moving through the Pacific in August 2015. Never before have we seen three Cat 4 hurricanes formed in a row.
The image was taken with the day-night band of NASA’s Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The day-night band sensor in the instrument was designed and developed by SRI using the latest extended dynamic range charge-coupled device (CCD) technology that can capture the finest details, even in low-light conditions. The nighttime mosaic image was illuminated with moonlight and taken between 11:30 pm and 3 am.
We’re proud that this sensor technology has become a valuable tool for scientists and meteorologists at the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center to track and study weather phenomena.
Photo credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen, using VIIRS data from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership. Suomi NPP is the result of a partnership between NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Defense.
View more images on NASA’s website.