-------- Original Message -------- Subject: RE: Need to identify air photos Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 14:13:17 -0700 From: Kathryn Lage <[log in to unmask]> To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]> It appears that those are Landsat images. This page has an explanation of the annotation on the photos: http://globegis.blogspot.com/2007/07/history-of-remote-sensing-landsat-image.html. "The first writing on the very left of the annotation row is the date of scene acquisition. This is followed by two groups of letters/numbers that define: a. the latitude-longitude coordinates of the principal point (format center), then b. latitude-longitude coordinates of scene nadir point (nadir refers to a line from the platform vertical to the ground). Next to the right is the identification of sensor (MSS) and Band (7). Then comes the elevation of the Sun (angle above horizon) and the Sun's location (azimuth defining Sun's position above the horizon geographically relative to true North), both at the time of scene acquisition. The next string of alphanumerics contains specialized information including spacecraft heading (189°), then (G), location of the receiving station (here, Goldstone in California), followed by I-N-D-IL for I = full size, N = normal processing, D = definitive accuracy for image center, 1L = 1 for linear mode for spacecraft data transmission (2 would be compressed mode), and L for low gain (H would be high gain) signal amplification level. NASA ERTS signifies that this product was made by NASA's ERTS (Landsat) satellite. The farthest right alphanumerics, E-1106-09183-7 specifies ERTS (E) followed by the mission number (1 for ERTS-1), plus 106 for the number of days after launch, -09183, the hour (09), minute (18), and second (7), all local time of observation (for scene center). The last, 01, is known as the regeneration number. Below the gray bar are three numbers that mark the longitudes (here E = east of Greenich, London) in degrees and minutes as these intersect the bottom of the image frame; these numbers appear at the top again, shifted left because of the orbital inclination." Landsat 1 was also referred to as ERTS-A (Earth Resources Technology Satellite), Landsat 2 as ERTS-B, and so on. I couldn't find something specific saying that ERTS-E is Landsat 5, but it makes sense. http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplay.do?id=1972-058A More background info: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/landsat/news/landsat-history.html Hope this helps! -Katie Katie Lage Map Librarian, Head, Jerry Crail Johnson Earth Sciences & Map Library Sciences Department, University Libraries 184 UCB University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309 303-735-4917 http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/earthsciences/ *From:*Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *Angie Cope, American Geographical Society Library, UW Milwaukee *Sent:* Thursday, January 16, 2014 1:40 PM *To:* [log in to unmask] *Subject:* Need to identify air photos -------- Original Message -------- *Subject: *** Need to identify air photos *Date: *** Thu, 16 Jan 2014 20:00:12 +0000 *From: *** Janice Ann Fiorino <[log in to unmask]> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> *To: *** [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> <[log in to unmask]> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> *CC: *** Janice Ann Fiorino <[log in to unmask]> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> We have four infrared air photos with no identifying markings. Can someone help us interpret the following numbers? NASA ERTS E-1285-16004-5 01 (4/May/73) NASA ERTS E-1394-16051 -5 01 (21Aug73) NASA ERTS E-1285-16001-5 01 (04/May/73) NASA ERTS E-1394-16044 5 01 (21Aug73) Responses can be sent to [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> (618-453-2705) Thank you! Janice Fiorino, Map Library Assistant Morris Library SIU at Carbondale, Il.