Ever since I was a little girl, one of my favourite things about Valentine’s Day has been the cards. I would love to decorate my little shoebox every year and check out all the Valentines I would get from my classmates. The best ones were, of course, the ones that were not like the others. Thumbs up if they were both nerdy and cheesy!
Well dear readers, NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service has just made some absolutely lovely satellite-themed Valentines that are sure to win you praise and love. Plus, you can also impress your Valentine with some satellite and NOAA facts. Don’t worry, we’ll help you with that one. Intelligence is sexy!
Check out NESDIS’ Valentine card collection in the next couple of slides.
Classic GeoXOXO for the Win
A classic Valentine never fails! Plus, you can marvel your loved one by talking a bit about NESDIS. This division of NOAA, which operates 24/7, provides global satellite data and imagery for weather forecasts, emergency services, and disaster preparedness.
Download the printable version of the Valentine here.
Geosynchronous Love
Want a nerdy way to say “I love you” on Feb. 14? This Valentine is just for you! It references one of the three types of Earth satellite orbits: high Earth orbit. As explained by NASA’s Earth Observatory, when a satellite reaches 22,369 miles (36,000 kilometers) from the Earth’s surface, its orbit matches our planet’s rotation. Since the satellite is orbiting at the same speed as the Earth is turning, it appears to stay in place over a single longitude.
This high Earth orbit is called “geosynchronous,” per NASA.
Download the printable version here.
Say “I Love You” With NOAA
Here’s the Valentine we teased above! It needs no explanation.
Download the printable version here.
Love GOES on and on
The science reference might be hard to spot in this Valentine if you’re not sure what you’re looking for. In fact, it references NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, more commonly known as GOES satellites. These satellites monitor the entire Western Hemisphere and identify and track severe weather, snow storms, tropical cyclones, planes, and even hikers, among others.
NOAA owns four GOES satellites. Find the Valentine on Twitter here.
Roses Are (Infra)red, (Ultra)violets Are Blue
This Valentine takes an age-old poem and infuses it with new knowledge. Satellites measure light, a form of energy that travels in waves, to produce images. However, one key difference is that satellites can measure light that can’t be seen with the human eye, such as infrared and ultraviolet light. Infrared light has longer wavelengths and lower energy than visible light, while ultraviolet light has shorter wavelengths and higher energy.
Find the Valentine on Twitter here.
Suomi
As you all can see, NESDIS is really into puns. “Suomi” is not “sue me,” but rather one of the satellites operated by NOAA. Through land, ocean, and atmospheric measurements, Suomi NPP aims to provide understanding of long-term climate change, monitor short-term weather conditions, and measure the health of the ozone layer, among other objectives.
Find the Valentine on Twitter here.
l NOAA for Sure You’ll Have a Happy Valentine’s Day
And here’s the last Valentine we have, folks. I must admit, while I love the Valentine itself, I don’t think NESDIS was in a rhyming mood when it made this one. I mean, we all know by now what NESDIS can do.
Find the Valentine on Twitter here.
Yet, it’s not always necessary to rhyme when you’re professing your love, so I’ll stay with that. With these cards, I NOAA for sure you’ll have a happy Valentine’s Day.