Landsat 8 satellite records coldest temperatures on Earth

Coldest temperatures on Earth are measured near the center of Antarctica (Credit: Ted Scambos, National Snow and Ice Data Center)

The new Landsat 8 satellite, operated by the U.S. Geological Survey, has charted a temperature of minus 133.6 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a release from NASA. The temperature was recorded on the East Antarctic Plateau and is only a few degrees shy of the world’s record low.

The coldest temperature ever recorded was minus 135.8 degrees Fahrenheit, recorded near Antarctica’s Dome Argus in August 2010. The lowest temperature of 2013 was recorded at a location nearby, coming in at minus 135.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

NASA officials say the temperature data is an example of the new satellite’s capabilities, including its thermal infrared sensor. The instrument was designed for measuring temperatures at the extremes and assembled at the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Image: Coldest temperatures on Earth are measured near the center of Antarctica (Credit: Ted Scambos, National Snow and Ice Data Center)