So what exactly is remote sensing?

The acquiring of information about a body e.g. a planet without actualy coming to contact with it.You observe a signal(light) illuminating a body of interest from a remote postion i.e. without coming to contact with the system of the signal(light) source and the body.It is through the signals that bounce off from the body that when detected convey useful information about the that particular object.

Firering or bombarding a body with signals from the shortest wavelength to the longest wavelength at the same angle over a period of time can convey enough information about that object.When the fired signals are sensored and processed we can describe even the finer details about that object.

I see remoste sensing as a bases for research in astronomy.Not only is it economic but instead of just building large telescopes to observe the planets.One can actually determine the surface of distant planets and even better determine the composition of the planet surface.Remote sensing can also be used to search for water,vegetation and even remains of ancient civilizations e.g. roads,caltivation canals etc.

But to better understand the tools we use for remote sensing its crucial that we not only test them but use them for scientific research in our own planet Earth!Hence the concept of Earth Observation.Sensors can be put in long arms above the earth,in airplanes,in space shuttles and even on satellites(Land Observation Satellites) in order to observe the Earth but more on that later.

The big question for now is ….what exactly do we do when we remote sense planet Earth?

(see the paper on the Global Earth Observation System)