# @nasa on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CaVrZEzD_I1
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/11732988-nasa-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/ac4bfce2c1.jpg
- **Posted:** 2022-02-23T23:45:02.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** NASA (@NASA) — https://gondola.cc/NASA

## Caption

👀 What do you see in the image? 
 
A mini NASAWebb telescope, or perhaps two starfighters from a galaxy far, far away?
 
These are a few of the many snowflake images collected by NASA’s IMPACTS mission, which studies the snowstorms common to the Northeastern U.S.
 
And just how does the mission collect these particle samples? 
 
By flying directly into snowstorms of course! The instruments and probes attached to the P-3 aircraft are able to collect samples to measure snow particles and atmospheric properties within the storm clouds.
 
Each of the aircraft's instruments has a special use: taking high-definition photos of ice particles, measuring the total amount of water (both in liquid and ice form), measuring the size of full and partial snow particles, and sampling shattered particles. These data-collecting tools can sample over 30 million particles in a single eight-hour flight alone.
 
But it’s not just being “stormtroopers” flying into snowstorms—the campaign combines satellite data, ground-based radars, weather balloon launches, and computer simulations to understand snowstorms. The goal of the mission is to develop greater comprehension of winter storm formation and development by using several instruments that examine the microphysical characteristics of snow particles at various temperatures and altitudes. The data collected during the multi-year IMPACTS campaign will help advance snowfall remote sensing interpretation and modeling to significantly improve the future of snowstorm forecasting and prediction capabilities.
 
Comment below what you see in the snow samples 👇
 
Credit: Christian Nairy/NASA
 
#Snow #Weather #Forecasting #Stormchasers #Hoth #Blizzard #BlackAndWhite #Macro

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## Tags

forecasting, snow, macro, blackandwhite, blizzard, hoth, weather, stormchasers

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