This MODIS image, centered over the Great Lakes region in North America, shows a variety of cloud types. The clouds at the top of the image, colored pink, are cold, high-level snow and ice clouds, while the neon green clouds are lower-level water clouds. Because different cloud types reflect and emit radiant energy differently, scientists can use MODIS' unique data set to measure the sizes of cloud particles and distinguish between water, snow, and ice clouds. This scene was acquired on Feb. 24, 2000, and is a red, green, blue composite of bands 1, 6, and 31 (0.66, 1.6, and 11.0 microns, respectively).

Image by Liam Gumley, Space Science and Engineering Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison