NOAA Just Released Amazing Photos Of Earth From Its New Satellite

<p><a href="https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/content/goes-16-image-gallery" target="_blank">A new weather satellite took these breathtaking images of Earth</a>, and the world is seeing them for the first time.</p><p>The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite, which is currently called GOES-16, launched in&nbsp;<a href="https://weather.com/news/weather/news/goes-16-first-images-noaa-nasa" target="_blank">November 2016</a>.</p><p>It orbits more than 22,000 miles above the planet. And NOAA is pretty excited about what it&#39;s captured so far.</p><p>The agency&nbsp;<a href="http://www.noaa.gov/stories/noaa-s-goes-16-satellite-sends-first-images-of-earth" target="_blank">called the images</a>&nbsp;&quot;the latest step in a new age of weather satellites. It will be like high-definition from the heavens.&quot;</p><p><b>SEE MORE: <a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/nasa-will-launch-small-satellites-to-monitor-hurricanes/">These Little Satellites Could Help Us Learn How Deadly Hurricanes Form</a></b></p><p>But GOES-16 will do a whole lot more than snapping awesome pics when it&#39;s fully running.</p><p>Part of the satellite&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="http://www.goes-r.gov/mission/mission.html" target="_blank">mission</a>&nbsp;is taking images of severe storms up to every 30 seconds. Those images will help NOAA make more accurate and reliable weather forecasts.</p><p>Beyond helping with weather forecasts, GOES-16 will also help make seasonal predictions, like drought outlooks, provide long-term climate data and help monitor for satellite-damaging solar flares from the sun.</p><p>A spokesperson for NOAA&#39;s satellite division says the GOES-16&nbsp;<a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/23/511216488/like-high-definition-from-the-heavens-noaa-releases-new-images-of-earth?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20170123" target="_blank">won&#39;t be fully operational</a>&nbsp;until November.</p><hr><b>Trending stories at <a href="http://www.newsy.com">Newsy.com</a></b><ul class="inline-related-links"><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/spacex-plans-to-switch-to-reusable-rockets-after-next-launch/">After Its Next Launch, SpaceX Will Probably Only Use Reusable Rockets</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/atlantic-sea-scallop-s-history-a-lesson-in-sustainability/">How Smart Fishery Management Saved The Atlantic Sea Scallop</a></li><li><a href="http://www.newsy.com/stories/how-psychology-can-help-us-fight-misinformation/">How We Can Immunize Ourselves Against Bogus Information</a></li></ul>