CALIPSO

Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite

active Mission
an illustration of calipso in space

CALIPSO provides new insight into the role that clouds and atmospheric aerosols (airborne particles) play in regulating Earth's weather, climate, and air quality.

Type

Orbiter

Launch

April 28, 2006

Target

Earth

Objective

Probe the properties of Earth's thin clouds and aerosols
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/VTAD
Learn more about CALIPSO

Latest News

More CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite) News
Article
5 min read

NASA’s CloudSat Ends Mission Peering Into the Heart of Clouds

Article
4 min read

First Long-Duration Lidar Satellite Mission CALIPSO Ends

5 min read

NASA Satellites Show How Clouds Respond to Arctic Sea Ice Change

Article3 years ago
4 min read

Passing Clouds Cause Some Marine Animals to Make Mini-Migrations During the Day

Article3 years ago
5 min read

Five Ways NASA Helps With Shark Conservation

Article3 years ago
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The image is divided horizontally by an undulating line between a cloudscape forming a nebula along the bottom portion and a comparatively clear upper portion. Speckled across both portions is a starfield, showing innumerable stars of many sizes. The smallest of these are small, distant, and faint points of light. The largest of these appear larger, closer, brighter, and more fully resolved with 8-point diffraction spikes. The upper portion of the image is blueish, and has wispy translucent cloud-like streaks rising from the nebula below. The orangish cloudy formation in the bottom half varies in density and ranges from translucent to opaque. The stars vary in color, the majority of which have a blue or orange hue. The cloud-like structure of the nebula contains ridges, peaks, and valleys – an appearance very similar to a mountain range. Three long diffraction spikes from the top right edge of the image suggest the presence of a large star just out of view.

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