In this monthly feature, we span the globe to examine Our Changing Landscape with a time series of medium-resolution PlanetScope satellite imagery. The PlanetScope constellation dates back to 2016 and collects hundreds of millions of square kilometers of four and eight-band 3-meter imagery daily! Last month, we focused on Hurricane Beryl’s impact on Union Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where the powerful storm left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. For November, we shift our attention to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where millions of Muslims gather annually for the Hajj pilgrimage, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

Click on the image above to see an animation of 3-meter natural color PlanetScope image collected over Mecca, Saudi Arabia on May 13 and June 14, 2024. For this animation, it is best to focus on the bright white area right at the center of the image which is Masjid al-Haram, or the Grand Mosque. In the May 13th image, you can see the white floors of the Grand Mosque; and then in the June 14th you can see that masses of people have gathered here as the floor and seating around it both have a collection of tiny dots on top of the white floor. So even though humans are far below the detection limit of 3-m PlanetScope data, when we gather in large groups, we are 100% visible in this data, pretty cool! (Images Courtesy: © Planet 2024)

The PlanetScope Microsat Constellation

PlanetScope is a constellation of more than 240 microsats referred to individually as Doves. Each Dove is able to collect up to 20,000 square kilometers (sq km) per day of 3-meter (m) 4-band multispectral (i.e. blue, green, red and near-infrared [NIR]) imagery; and newly launched SuperDoves collect 8-band multispectral adding in valuable red-edge spectral data. Across the constellation, PlanetScope is archiving more than 200 million sq km of medium-resolution imagery a day, making it the go to source for daily imagery over most locations. This massive archive dates back to 2016, offering the most complete and continuous record of spatial data on the planet since the start of the constellation’s ongoing launch schedule. Collecting 3-meter multispectral imagery is the equivalent of ‘high-resolution’ multispectral data imaged by a 75-centimer (cm) satellite (as this satellite would feature 75-cm panchromatic and 3-m multispectral), making PlanetScope an extremely competitively priced option at just $2.25 per sq km. With well registered images and nearly daily collections of most locations, PlanetScope is the ideal imagery source for this current-events focused series, Our Changing Landscape.

The 2024 Hajj Pilgrimage: A Spiritual Convergence in Mecca

Hajj, the grand annual pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the largest religious gatherings on the planet, drawing Muslims from every corner of the globe to fulfill a crucial pillar of their faith. In 2024, around 2.5 million pilgrims converged on Mecca, highlighting the awe-inspiring scale and profound significance of this sacred journey. The pilgrimage spans several days, marked by key rituals like Tawaf (circling the Kaaba), Sa’i (walking between the hills of Safa and Marwah), and the symbolic stoning of the devil. Our 3-m PlanetScope satellite image from June 14, 2024 beautifully captures this immense gathering, with millions encircling the Kaaba, Islam’s most revered site nestled within the Grand Mosque. For additional context on Hajj click here.

June 14, 2024, was especially noteworthy as it aligned with the Day of Arafah, the zenith of the Hajj pilgrimage. On this day, pilgrims assemble on the plains of Mount Arafat for profound prayer and reflection. Known as the “Day of Forgiveness,” it’s a moment when Muslims believe sins can be absolved. Many also fast in solidarity with those undertaking the pilgrimage. Our 3-m PlanetScope image vividly showcase the vast sea of pilgrims at Mount Arafat, reflecting the deep unity and spiritual fervor of the millions present. Learn more about the Day of Arafah’s significance here.

Over the years, our newsletter has delved into various facets of Hajj, and this year, the high-resolution satellite imagery featured here offers a striking perspective on the event’s scale and logistical intricacies. The infrastructure in Mecca, including the expanded Grand Mosque and extensive transportation networks, is meticulously designed to accommodate millions of pilgrims each year, a task that becomes more challenging as numbers grow. With global temperatures on the rise, concerns about how climate change might affect future pilgrimages, particularly due to extreme summer heat, are becoming increasingly relevant. For a deeper dive into the logistics and challenges of Hajj and to explore our previous analyses, visit our archives here.

If you would like to find out more about using 3-meter PlanetScope imagery for your academic studies, engineering projects or any landscape analysis, let us know at sales@apollomapping.com or (303) 993-3863.