What is Copernicus Browser?
Copernicus Browser is the map viewer of the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, which gives free access to data from the Copernicus Sentinel satellite missions. You pick a place and a date, choose a data collection such as Sentinel-1 radar or Sentinel-2 optical imagery, and the browser shows that scene on the map. You can switch between ready-made visualisations, build your own band combinations and indices, or load custom scripts.
For researchers and journalists it is a way to check what a place looked like on a given day: whether a building, road or camp existed, how a flood or fire spread, or how land changed over months. Two dates can be compared side by side, a series of images can be turned into a time-lapse, and distances and areas can be measured. The documentation says a free account is currently needed to use the browser.
Main Features
- Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-3 and Sentinel-5P imagery, plus Copernicus elevation models
- Custom RGB composites, band indices and custom scripts
- Compare two visualisations in split or opacity mode
- Time-lapse export as GIF or MP4 with cloud and coverage filters
- Measure distances and areas, and draw or upload areas of interest (KML, GPX, GeoJSON, WKT)
- Image download as JPG, PNG, KMZ or GeoTIFF, including high resolution prints
- 3D terrain view and statistical time series for an area
- Product search with metadata and full product download
How to Get Started with Copernicus Browser
- Open browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu and register or log in with a free Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem account.
- Search for a place or pan the map to your area of interest.
- Pick a date and a data collection, such as Sentinel-2 true colour, and lower the cloud cover filter if needed.
- Use compare, time-lapse or measure to study changes, then download the image with its date for your notes.
Copernicus Browser Pricing
Copernicus Browser is free. A free Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem account is needed to use it, and the data from the Copernicus Sentinel missions is open and free to access.
Who Should Use It?
- Journalists and fact-checkers checking what a location looked like on a given date
- OSINT researchers tracking changes to land, buildings or infrastructure over time
- Analysts following floods, wildfires and other disasters
- Environmental researchers studying vegetation, water and air quality
- Students and teachers learning to work with satellite imagery
Copernicus Browser Alternatives
- NASA Worldview: a free NASA map for browsing daily global satellite imagery and natural events.
- Zoom Earth: a live weather and satellite map for tracking storms, fires and smoke.
- SunCalc: a free map tool for checking sun position and shadows at a place and time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Copernicus Browser free?
Yes. Copernicus Browser is free to use. You need a free Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem account, and the Sentinel satellite data it shows is open and free.
How sharp is the imagery in Copernicus Browser?
The main Sentinel collections are medium resolution, good for seeing fields, roads, large buildings, fires and floods, but not individual people or cars. For fine detail researchers usually combine it with commercial or aerial imagery.
How do researchers use Copernicus Browser for verification?
They compare imagery from before and after a claimed event, check that a landmark existed on a given date, or follow changes over time with a time-lapse. Satellite images support a finding but should be checked against other sources, and the image date should always be recorded.