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Tanager band spectral wavelengths?

  • April 15, 2026
  • 9 replies
  • 877 views

Emil Cherrington
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Hi ​@amy.rosenthal and ​@keely.roth - By chance could you point me to where I can find a list of the specific band center wavelength values for Tanager’s 426 bands? For some reason, I’m not finding said information easily via a standard Google search. Thank you in advance!

Best answer by mkemalemil

Hi ​@Emil Cherrington,

Wavelength centers and other useful metadata are included with the radiance and reflectance HDF5 files. I am sharing it here as well for convenience.

wavelengths = 376.62, 381.59, 386.56, 391.52, 396.49, 401.46, 406.43, 411.41, 416.38, 421.36, 426.33, 431.31, 436.28, 441.26, 446.24, 451.22, 456.2, 461.18, 466.17, 471.15, 476.14, 481.12, 486.11, 491.09, 496.08, 501.07, 506.06, 511.05, 516.04, 521.03, 526.02, 531.01, 536.0, 541.0, 545.99, 550.99, 555.98, 560.98, 565.97, 570.97, 575.97, 580.97, 585.97, 590.97, 595.96, 600.96, 605.96, 610.97, 615.97, 620.97, 625.97, 630.97, 635.98, 640.98, 645.98, 650.99, 655.99, 661.0, 666.0, 671.01, 676.01, 681.02, 686.03, 691.03, 696.04, 701.05, 706.06, 711.06, 716.07, 721.08, 726.09, 731.1, 736.11, 741.12, 746.13, 751.14, 756.15, 761.16, 766.17, 771.18, 776.19, 781.2, 786.21, 791.22, 796.23, 801.25, 806.26, 811.27, 816.28, 821.29, 826.31, 831.32, 836.33, 841.34, 846.36, 851.37, 856.38, 861.39, 866.41, 871.42, 876.43, 881.45, 886.46, 891.47, 896.49, 901.5, 906.51, 911.53, 916.54, 921.55, 926.57, 931.58, 936.6, 941.61, 946.62, 951.64, 956.65, 961.66, 966.68, 971.69, 976.71, 981.72, 986.73, 991.75, 996.76, 1001.78, 1006.79, 1011.8, 1016.82, 1021.83, 1026.84, 1031.86, 1036.87, 1041.88, 1046.9, 1051.91, 1056.93, 1061.94, 1066.95, 1071.97, 1076.98, 1081.99, 1087.0, 1092.02, 1097.03, 1102.04, 1107.06, 1112.07, 1117.08, 1122.1, 1127.11, 1132.12, 1137.13, 1142.15, 1147.16, 1152.17, 1157.18, 1162.2, 1167.21, 1172.22, 1177.23, 1182.24, 1187.25, 1192.27, 1197.28, 1202.29, 1207.3, 1212.31, 1217.32, 1222.33, 1227.35, 1232.36, 1237.37, 1242.38, 1247.39, 1252.4, 1257.41, 1262.42, 1267.43, 1272.44, 1277.45, 1282.46, 1287.47, 1292.48, 1297.49, 1302.5, 1307.51, 1312.52, 1317.53, 1322.54, 1327.55, 1332.56, 1337.57, 1342.57, 1347.58, 1352.59, 1357.6, 1362.61, 1367.62, 1372.62, 1377.63, 1382.64, 1387.65, 1392.66, 1397.66, 1402.67, 1407.68, 1412.68, 1417.69, 1422.7, 1427.7, 1432.71, 1437.72, 1442.72, 1447.73, 1452.74, 1457.74, 1462.75, 1467.75, 1472.76, 1477.76, 1482.77, 1487.77, 1492.78, 1497.78, 1502.79, 1507.79, 1512.8, 1517.8, 1522.81, 1527.81, 1532.81, 1537.82, 1542.82, 1547.82, 1552.83, 1557.83, 1562.83, 1567.84, 1572.84, 1577.84, 1582.84, 1587.84, 1592.85, 1597.85, 1602.85, 1607.85, 1612.85, 1617.85, 1622.85, 1627.85, 1632.86, 1637.86, 1642.86, 1647.86, 1652.86, 1657.86, 1662.85, 1667.85, 1672.85, 1677.85, 1682.85, 1687.85, 1692.85, 1697.85, 1702.84, 1707.84, 1712.84, 1717.84, 1722.83, 1727.83, 1732.83, 1737.83, 1742.82, 1747.82, 1752.81, 1757.81, 1762.8, 1767.8, 1772.8, 1777.79, 1782.79, 1787.78, 1792.77, 1797.77, 1802.76, 1807.76, 1812.75, 1817.74, 1822.73, 1827.73, 1832.72, 1837.71, 1842.71, 1847.7, 1852.69, 1857.68, 1862.67, 1867.66, 1872.65, 1877.64, 1882.63, 1887.62, 1892.61, 1897.6, 1902.59, 1907.58, 1912.57, 1917.56, 1922.54, 1927.53, 1932.52, 1937.51, 1942.49, 1947.48, 1952.47, 1957.45, 1962.44, 1967.43, 1972.41, 1977.4, 1982.38, 1987.37, 1992.35, 1997.33, 2002.32, 2007.3, 2012.28, 2017.27, 2022.25, 2027.23, 2032.21, 2037.2, 2042.18, 2047.16, 2052.14, 2057.12, 2062.1, 2067.08, 2072.06, 2077.04, 2082.02, 2087.0, 2091.98, 2096.95, 2101.93, 2106.91, 2111.89, 2116.86, 2121.84, 2126.82, 2131.79, 2136.77, 2141.74, 2146.72, 2151.69, 2156.67, 2161.64, 2166.61, 2171.59, 2176.56, 2181.53, 2186.51, 2191.48, 2196.45, 2201.42, 2206.39, 2211.36, 2216.34, 2221.31, 2226.28, 2231.25, 2236.22, 2241.18, 2246.15, 2251.12, 2256.09, 2261.06, 2266.02, 2270.99, 2275.96, 2280.92, 2285.89, 2290.86, 2295.82, 2300.79, 2305.75, 2310.72, 2315.68, 2320.65, 2325.61, 2330.57, 2335.53, 2340.5, 2345.46, 2350.42, 2355.38, 2360.35, 2365.31, 2370.27, 2375.23, 2380.19, 2385.15, 2390.11, 2395.07, 2400.03, 2404.99, 2409.95, 2414.9, 2419.86, 2424.82, 2429.78, 2434.74, 2439.69, 2444.65, 2449.61, 2454.56, 2459.52, 2464.48, 2469.43, 2474.39, 2479.34, 2484.3, 2489.25, 2494.21, 2499.16
 

9 replies

Emil Cherrington
Forum|alt.badge.img+2

Ok, I just found that the metadata for the individual STAC items does include information about the band wavelengths. Can I suggest, though, that it would be useful to have this information located elsewhere also?
 

 


mkemalemil
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  • ‎‎ 🌱
  • Answer
  • April 15, 2026

Hi ​@Emil Cherrington,

Wavelength centers and other useful metadata are included with the radiance and reflectance HDF5 files. I am sharing it here as well for convenience.

wavelengths = 376.62, 381.59, 386.56, 391.52, 396.49, 401.46, 406.43, 411.41, 416.38, 421.36, 426.33, 431.31, 436.28, 441.26, 446.24, 451.22, 456.2, 461.18, 466.17, 471.15, 476.14, 481.12, 486.11, 491.09, 496.08, 501.07, 506.06, 511.05, 516.04, 521.03, 526.02, 531.01, 536.0, 541.0, 545.99, 550.99, 555.98, 560.98, 565.97, 570.97, 575.97, 580.97, 585.97, 590.97, 595.96, 600.96, 605.96, 610.97, 615.97, 620.97, 625.97, 630.97, 635.98, 640.98, 645.98, 650.99, 655.99, 661.0, 666.0, 671.01, 676.01, 681.02, 686.03, 691.03, 696.04, 701.05, 706.06, 711.06, 716.07, 721.08, 726.09, 731.1, 736.11, 741.12, 746.13, 751.14, 756.15, 761.16, 766.17, 771.18, 776.19, 781.2, 786.21, 791.22, 796.23, 801.25, 806.26, 811.27, 816.28, 821.29, 826.31, 831.32, 836.33, 841.34, 846.36, 851.37, 856.38, 861.39, 866.41, 871.42, 876.43, 881.45, 886.46, 891.47, 896.49, 901.5, 906.51, 911.53, 916.54, 921.55, 926.57, 931.58, 936.6, 941.61, 946.62, 951.64, 956.65, 961.66, 966.68, 971.69, 976.71, 981.72, 986.73, 991.75, 996.76, 1001.78, 1006.79, 1011.8, 1016.82, 1021.83, 1026.84, 1031.86, 1036.87, 1041.88, 1046.9, 1051.91, 1056.93, 1061.94, 1066.95, 1071.97, 1076.98, 1081.99, 1087.0, 1092.02, 1097.03, 1102.04, 1107.06, 1112.07, 1117.08, 1122.1, 1127.11, 1132.12, 1137.13, 1142.15, 1147.16, 1152.17, 1157.18, 1162.2, 1167.21, 1172.22, 1177.23, 1182.24, 1187.25, 1192.27, 1197.28, 1202.29, 1207.3, 1212.31, 1217.32, 1222.33, 1227.35, 1232.36, 1237.37, 1242.38, 1247.39, 1252.4, 1257.41, 1262.42, 1267.43, 1272.44, 1277.45, 1282.46, 1287.47, 1292.48, 1297.49, 1302.5, 1307.51, 1312.52, 1317.53, 1322.54, 1327.55, 1332.56, 1337.57, 1342.57, 1347.58, 1352.59, 1357.6, 1362.61, 1367.62, 1372.62, 1377.63, 1382.64, 1387.65, 1392.66, 1397.66, 1402.67, 1407.68, 1412.68, 1417.69, 1422.7, 1427.7, 1432.71, 1437.72, 1442.72, 1447.73, 1452.74, 1457.74, 1462.75, 1467.75, 1472.76, 1477.76, 1482.77, 1487.77, 1492.78, 1497.78, 1502.79, 1507.79, 1512.8, 1517.8, 1522.81, 1527.81, 1532.81, 1537.82, 1542.82, 1547.82, 1552.83, 1557.83, 1562.83, 1567.84, 1572.84, 1577.84, 1582.84, 1587.84, 1592.85, 1597.85, 1602.85, 1607.85, 1612.85, 1617.85, 1622.85, 1627.85, 1632.86, 1637.86, 1642.86, 1647.86, 1652.86, 1657.86, 1662.85, 1667.85, 1672.85, 1677.85, 1682.85, 1687.85, 1692.85, 1697.85, 1702.84, 1707.84, 1712.84, 1717.84, 1722.83, 1727.83, 1732.83, 1737.83, 1742.82, 1747.82, 1752.81, 1757.81, 1762.8, 1767.8, 1772.8, 1777.79, 1782.79, 1787.78, 1792.77, 1797.77, 1802.76, 1807.76, 1812.75, 1817.74, 1822.73, 1827.73, 1832.72, 1837.71, 1842.71, 1847.7, 1852.69, 1857.68, 1862.67, 1867.66, 1872.65, 1877.64, 1882.63, 1887.62, 1892.61, 1897.6, 1902.59, 1907.58, 1912.57, 1917.56, 1922.54, 1927.53, 1932.52, 1937.51, 1942.49, 1947.48, 1952.47, 1957.45, 1962.44, 1967.43, 1972.41, 1977.4, 1982.38, 1987.37, 1992.35, 1997.33, 2002.32, 2007.3, 2012.28, 2017.27, 2022.25, 2027.23, 2032.21, 2037.2, 2042.18, 2047.16, 2052.14, 2057.12, 2062.1, 2067.08, 2072.06, 2077.04, 2082.02, 2087.0, 2091.98, 2096.95, 2101.93, 2106.91, 2111.89, 2116.86, 2121.84, 2126.82, 2131.79, 2136.77, 2141.74, 2146.72, 2151.69, 2156.67, 2161.64, 2166.61, 2171.59, 2176.56, 2181.53, 2186.51, 2191.48, 2196.45, 2201.42, 2206.39, 2211.36, 2216.34, 2221.31, 2226.28, 2231.25, 2236.22, 2241.18, 2246.15, 2251.12, 2256.09, 2261.06, 2266.02, 2270.99, 2275.96, 2280.92, 2285.89, 2290.86, 2295.82, 2300.79, 2305.75, 2310.72, 2315.68, 2320.65, 2325.61, 2330.57, 2335.53, 2340.5, 2345.46, 2350.42, 2355.38, 2360.35, 2365.31, 2370.27, 2375.23, 2380.19, 2385.15, 2390.11, 2395.07, 2400.03, 2404.99, 2409.95, 2414.9, 2419.86, 2424.82, 2429.78, 2434.74, 2439.69, 2444.65, 2449.61, 2454.56, 2459.52, 2464.48, 2469.43, 2474.39, 2479.34, 2484.3, 2489.25, 2494.21, 2499.16
 


Emil Cherrington
Forum|alt.badge.img+2

BTW, here’s the list of Tanager center wavelengths I extracted from the metadata file above, and which I’ll incorporate into some reusable code:

var wl_tanager =
[376.40, 381.40, 386.40, 391.40, 396.30,
401.30, 406.30, 411.20, 416.20, 421.20, 426.20, 431.10, 436.10, 441.10, 446.10, 451.10, 456.00, 461.00, 466.00, 471.00, 476.00, 481.00, 486.00, 490.90, 495.90,
500.90, 505.90, 510.90, 515.90, 520.90, 525.90, 530.90, 535.90, 540.90, 545.80, 550.80, 555.80, 560.80, 565.80, 570.80, 575.80, 580.80, 585.80, 590.80, 595.80,
600.80, 605.80, 610.80, 615.80, 620.80, 625.80, 630.80, 635.80, 640.80, 645.90, 650.90, 655.90, 660.90, 665.90, 670.90, 675.90, 680.90, 685.90, 690.90, 695.90, 
700.90, 705.90, 710.90, 715.90, 721.00, 726.00, 731.00, 736.00, 741.00, 746.00, 751.00, 756.00, 761.00, 766.00, 771.10, 776.10, 781.10, 786.10, 791.10, 796.10, 
801.10, 806.10, 811.10, 816.20, 821.20, 826.20, 831.20, 836.20, 841.20, 846.20, 851.20, 856.30, 861.30, 866.30, 871.30, 876.30, 881.30, 886.30, 891.30, 896.40, 
901.40, 906.40, 911.40, 916.40, 921.40, 926.40, 931.50, 936.50, 941.50, 946.50, 951.50, 956.50, 961.50, 966.60, 971.60, 976.60, 981.60, 986.60, 991.60, 996.60, 
1001.60, 1006.70, 1011.70, 1016.70, 1021.70, 1026.70, 1031.70, 1036.70, 1041.80, 1046.80, 1051.80, 1056.80, 1061.80, 1066.80, 1071.80, 1076.80, 1081.90, 1086.90, 1091.90, 1096.90, 
1101.90, 1106.90, 1111.90, 1116.90, 1122.00, 1127.00, 1132.00, 1137.00, 1142.00, 1147.00, 1152.00, 1157.00, 1162.10, 1167.10, 1172.10, 1177.10, 1182.10, 1187.10, 1192.10, 1197.10, 
1202.10, 1207.20, 1212.20, 1217.20, 1222.20, 1227.20, 1232.20, 1237.20, 1242.20, 1247.20, 1252.30, 1257.30, 1262.30, 1267.30, 1272.30, 1277.30, 1282.30, 1287.30, 1292.30, 1297.30, 
1302.30, 1307.40, 1312.40, 1317.40, 1322.40, 1327.40, 1332.40, 1337.40, 1342.40, 1347.40, 1352.40, 1357.40, 1362.40, 1367.50, 1372.50, 1377.50, 1382.50, 1387.50, 1392.50, 1397.50, 
1402.50, 1407.50, 1412.50, 1417.50, 1422.50, 1427.50, 1432.50, 1437.60, 1442.60, 1447.60, 1452.60, 1457.60, 1462.60, 1467.60, 1472.60, 1477.60, 1482.60, 1487.60, 1492.60, 1497.60,
1502.60, 1507.60, 1512.60, 1517.60, 1522.60, 1527.60, 1532.60, 1537.60, 1542.60, 1547.60, 1552.60, 1557.70, 1562.70, 1567.70, 1572.70, 1577.70, 1582.70, 1587.70, 1592.70, 1597.70,
1602.70, 1607.70, 1612.70, 1617.70, 1622.70, 1627.70, 1632.70, 1637.70, 1642.70, 1647.70, 1652.70, 1657.70, 1662.70, 1667.70, 1672.70, 1677.70, 1682.70, 1687.70, 1692.70, 1697.70,
1702.70, 1707.60, 1712.60, 1717.60, 1722.60, 1727.60, 1732.60, 1737.60, 1742.60, 1747.60, 1752.60, 1757.60, 1762.60, 1767.60, 1772.60, 1777.60, 1782.60, 1787.60, 1792.60, 1797.60,
1802.60, 1807.60, 1812.50, 1817.50, 1822.50, 1827.50, 1832.50, 1837.50, 1842.50, 1847.50, 1852.50, 1857.50, 1862.50, 1867.50, 1872.40, 1877.40, 1882.40, 1887.40, 1892.40, 1897.40,
1902.40, 1907.40, 1912.40, 1917.40, 1922.30, 1927.30, 1932.30, 1937.30, 1942.30, 1947.30, 1952.30, 1957.20, 1962.20, 1967.20, 1972.20, 1977.20, 1982.20, 1987.20, 1992.10, 1997.10,
2002.10, 2007.10, 2012.10, 2017.10, 2022.00, 2027.00, 2032.00, 2037.00, 2042.00, 2047.00, 2051.90, 2056.90, 2061.90, 2066.90, 2071.90, 2076.80, 2081.80, 2086.80, 2091.80, 2096.70,
2101.70, 2106.70, 2111.70, 2116.70, 2121.60, 2126.60, 2131.60, 2136.60, 2141.50, 2146.50, 2151.50, 2156.50, 2161.40, 2166.40, 2171.40, 2176.40, 2181.30, 2186.30, 2191.30, 2196.20,
2201.20, 2206.20, 2211.20, 2216.10, 2221.10, 2226.10, 2231.00, 2236.00, 2241.00, 2246.00, 2250.90, 2255.90, 2260.90, 2265.80, 2270.80, 2275.80, 2280.70, 2285.70, 2290.70, 2295.60,
2300.60, 2305.60, 2310.50, 2315.50, 2320.50, 2325.40, 2330.40, 2335.30, 2340.30, 2345.30, 2350.20, 2355.20, 2360.20, 2365.10, 2370.10, 2375.00, 2380.00, 2385.00, 2389.90, 2394.90, 2399.90,
2404.80, 2409.80, 2414.70, 2419.70, 2424.60, 2429.60, 2434.60, 2439.50, 2444.50, 2449.40, 2454.40, 2459.40, 2464.30, 2469.30, 2474.20, 2479.20, 2484.10, 2489.10, 2494.00, 2499.00];
 


carly.beneke
Planeteer 🌎
Forum|alt.badge.img+2
  • Planeteer 🌎
  • April 15, 2026

@Emil Cherrington you are a machine! Thanks for sharing this back and for the suggestion. I will pin the Planet docs (which has a really good AI search feature) and the Tanager Product Spec to this group!


carly.beneke
Planeteer 🌎
Forum|alt.badge.img+2
  • Planeteer 🌎
  • April 15, 2026

Adding here as well: 

I’ll add to the FAQ as well!


Emil Cherrington
Forum|alt.badge.img+2

BTW, I also put the list of bands (spectral bands + the additional band masks, etc.) in a Google Sheet and made it public, if it’s helpful to folks. I also marked which thin bands are roughly equivalent to the broad bands of the Operational Land Imagers of Landsat-8 and Landsat-9. There are two spreadsheet tabs. See: https://bit.ly/tanager_bands

 

 


Emil Cherrington
Forum|alt.badge.img+2

And from the second tab of the spreadsheet listed above:
 

 


Forum|alt.badge.img+3
  • Planeteer 🌎
  • May 20, 2026

Please keep in mind that the wavelengths are different for every scene. Imaging spectrometers don’t have “bands” in the sense that multispectral satellites do. Instead of filters, they regularly sample the spectrum at evenly spaced points, but the exact location of those points shifts due to thermal stresses and other factors. 

That’s the reason that the wavelengths are in the metadata for each file rather than in a central location. They’re not constant and are continually changing.  That’s also why it’s important not to treat them like bands and instead select the band index range based on the wavelengths you want from each file. Band 11 in one file could be closer to band 12 in another. 

The examples you’ve given are useful in general, but are only correct in detail for a single scene. The shifts are currently small, but it’s dangerous to assume they’re constant.  If you’re reading the data in via gdal/rasterio/etc, they’ll be available as a “wavelengths” metadata item on the reflectance or radiance cube subdataset.  If you’re reading the data in using HDF5 (e.g. h5py), they’ll be an attribute on the radiance cube subdataset.


Emil Cherrington
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Point taken, and that’s good to know, ​@joe.kington. Are there any plans to do any harmonization across the collected data to make it such that spectra extracted from time 1 can be compared to spectra from time 2?