Why this image is often not a true "picture."

Question

When a satellite collects information from the surface of the earth, the data is converted to an image. Why this image is often not a true "picture."

Answer 1

The concept of "true picture" is a simplistic fiction. All images are misrepresentations of an unknowable original.

Answer 2

The instuments that are recording these images are looking for dfiferent data than would be shown in a photgraph, such as temperature, high or low pressure, different gasses, etc. Many of theses kinds of data would not be obvious in a standard photograph or video.