geostationary

/ˈdʒioʊˌsteɪʃənəri/

When an object orbits Earth at the same speed as the planet rotates, the object is geostationary, as it appears fixed in the same spot in the sky. Many weather satellites are geostationary.

No natural objects are known to be geostationary, but artificial satellites sometimes are. A geostationary satellite must be 22,236 miles above sea level, where Earth's gravity pulls on it just enough to keep it at the right speed. It must be directly above the equator and traveling the same direction as Earth spins. Geostationary weather satellites can watch a single continent continuously to track storms. Many of the swirling cloud patterns on weather reports come from geostationary satellites. Geostationary combines geo-, "earth," with stationary, "fixed in place."

Definitions of geostationary

1. adjective

   having an orbit that matches the earth's rotation
   “a geostationary satellite”

   synonyms:

   fixed

   securely placed or fastened or set