Last year, Microsoft announced Azure Space, a tool that brings together the possibilities of space with the power of the cloud. The company has now added a bunch of new capabilities to it, and some of the most interesting ones include “seeing” through clouds and turning blurry satellite images into high-quality photos that look like drone shots.
Nikon to dump GPS in favour of GNSS according to new camera registration
First spotted back in early March after registration in Russia, and then in Indonesia in July, the unreleased Nikon camera, “N2014” (which Nikon Rumors believes may be the upcoming Nikon Z9 flagship) now has some interesting new news. It looks like it’ll ditch the more traditional GPS system in favour of GNSS according to the latest registration.
The news comes via Nokishita and says that as well as featuring the standard WiFi and Bluetooth, the N2014 camera will also utilise the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), which should offer more accurate positioning data. If true, this would mark the first consumer camera to include GNSS support.
Nikon turns to space, investing $91,000,000 in aerospace 3D printing manufacturer Morf3D
I was wondering what Nikon was going to do to keep itself alive with an ever-shrinking camera market that seems to be slowly but surely turning its back on the 103-year-old company in favour of Sony and Canon. Well, it turns out they’re investing in space. To be more specific, they’ve invested as the major shareholder in US startup Morf3D.
Morf3D is an additive manufacturing company supplying the aerospace industry, supplying companies like Boeing, and according to Nikkei Asia, the deal sees Nikon investing 10 billion yen (~$91 million) in the company, becoming a majority stakeholder. This puts Nikon in the supply change for small satellites, a growing market in the aerospace industry.
Canon lets you shoot photos from space with its new CE-SAT-1 microsatellite emulator
While Canon might’ve suffered something of a setback with the destruction of its CE-SAT-1B satellite last year, it does still have the original CE-SAT-1 flying over the planet, with plans to launch more. In the meantime, though, they’ve launched a new website that allows you to shoot photos with the $9 million satellite, launched in 2017.
You don’t get free run of the planet, of course, but Canon’s new Redefine the Limits website allows you to look through a select number of views on different parts of the Earth to pan and zoom and shoot a photo – along with latitude, longitude and altitude data, with the Canon EOS 5D Mark III flying 500 kilometres above the surface.
Canon’s CE-SAT-IB imaging satellite “destroyed” during rocket launch
It seems that Canon’s CE-SAT-1B camera satellite was not meant to be. The BBC reports that Electron, the rocket launched by American company Rocket Lab, failed in its late ascent and that all satellite payloads are “assumed to have been destroyed” which includes Canon’s new imaging satellite
The CE-SAT-1B satellite was the one we told you about a couple of weeks ago that, for some reason, was loaded with a Canon 5D Mark III and a PowerShot S110. It was a small satellite, measuring only 50x50x70cm, but would offer a 1-metre ground resolution view of the earth’s surface from 600km above its surface.
Canon is launching a satellite, but why are they sending it up with a 5D Mark III?
Canon is launching a satellite. It’s the CE-SAT 1B (Canon Electric Satellite 1B). It’s an experimental Earth observing microsatellite developed and built by Canon Electronics. The satellite is quite small, measuring only 50x50x70cm and it’s based on the Hodoyoshi-1 satellite, launched in 2014.
Canon sent the original CE-SAT 1 into space in 2017, so the idea is nothing new, but this time we’re hearing about the cameras that are going to be included on the satellite. And strangely, it’s the Canon 5D Mark III and (even more strangely) the Canon PowerShot S110. It seems like an odd combination when Canon’s about to make a big splash with the EOS R5.
NASA needs your help to track light pollution and all you need is your smartphone
Astronomers have been worried about the effect of satellites, as heir increasing number in the orbit is posing a problem for night skies observation. We can’t do anything to remove them – but we can now help monitor the problem. With its new project Satellite Streak Watcher, NASA asks everyone to help to track the population growth of satellites over time. And all you need is a smartphone camera.
Astronomers worried as SpaceX’s Starlink satellites ruin their observation of the night skies
The first batch of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites was launched in May this year, making astronomers worried about how they would affect the night sky. Now that the second batch has been launched, the astronomers’ concerns are becoming a reality.
On Monday 18 November, two astronomers checked the image of their remotely operated telescope in Chile. But instead of a clear night sky, they saw a bunch of light trails from Starlink satellites.
Astrophotographers, this is how Starlink satellites will affect the night skies
On 23 May, the first 60 SpaceX’s Starlink satellites were successfully launched into orbit. They were caught on camera and they look spectacular while orbiting around the Earth together. However, the ultimate plan is to launch nearly 12,000 of these satellites. Have you wondered how it will affect the night skies? Astronomers are concerned that they will pollute the night sky, and astrophotography is only one of the areas that could be hindered by this many satellites in the orbit.
This video shows a spectacular view of the SpaceX Starlink satellite train
On 23 May, SpaceX successfully launched its first 60 Starlink satellites into orbit. Amateur astronomer Marco Langbroek managed to catch them on camera, and he filmed a spectacular view of the “train” of satellites orbiting around the Earth.
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