Looking at clouds from space, it can be hard to tell what they’re made of – particles of ice and water.
The different makeups – and the number - of these clouds play an important role in weather and climate,
so understanding them better will improve models and forecasts.
A tiny satellite has been orbiting Earth for a year, taking measurements of these particles
and creating an unprecedented new map of these hard-to-study ice clouds.
The satellite, IceCube, launched in May 2017 and was designed for a 3-month mission.
It’s been flying for a full year, collecting data for a never-before-seen view of ice clouds around the planet.