EPIC camera aboard DSCOVR satellite will capture sunlit Earth in one shot

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is set to launch a new weather monitoring satellite in February, according to a NASA press release. The Deep Space Climate Observatory, or DSCOVR, will feature instruments contributed by NASA.

The Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera — shortened as EPIC — can capture an image of an entire sunlit side of the Earth, eliminating the need to piece together smaller satellite images. With the EPIC instrument onboard, DSCOVR will orbit the earth from 1 million miles out. This is four times the distance between the Earth and Moon.

EPIC captures images in 10 wavelength ranges, allowing researchers to study ozone, dust, clouds and aerosols. The instrument features a resolution of 25 to 35 kilometers.

Top image: EPIC instrument views the entire sunlit face of the Earth from sunrise to sunset. (Credit: NASA / DSCOVR)