<p><strong>Milky-colored ripples on the Atlantic Ocean trail behind the <a href="http://maps.nationalgeographic.com/map-machine#s=r&amp;c=28.523937419579347,%20-15.737710475921649&amp;z=7">Canary Islands (map)</a> off the west coast of Africa in this June 15 image snapped by NASA's <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/terra/index.html">Terra satellite</a>.</strong></p><p dir="ltr">Thanks to a vantage point 450 miles (725 kilometers) above the Earth, strange patterns caused by strong winds on the ocean's surface become visible in the play of sunlight on the water.</p><p dir="ltr">The rocky, volcanic islands redirect the strong northwest winds that come up against the coast, forming a wind shadow on the southwest side of the islands. This shadow creates distinct helical cloud trails and alternately smooth and choppy waters, which change how light is reflected.</p><p><em>—Andrew Fazekas</em></p>