Are cloud photos taken by geostationary satellites?

Answer

Hi Paul,

Cloud images can be taken with both geostationary and polar orbiting satellites.

On rain radar you see a radar image. The precipitation is shown here, not the clouds.
The precipitation is measured with a radar that sends out a radio signal and collects the reflected radiation. The amount of reflected radiation is a measure of the amount of precipitation.
The time between sending the pulse and receiving the reflection indicates how far the precipitation has fallen from the radar.

Kind regards,
Luc.