A system for characterizing a cloud atmosphere, the system comprising: an optical emitter configured to emit an optical beam into the cloud atmosphere; a first optical detector configured to detect a first portion of the optical beam backscattered by the cloud atmosphere at a first backscatter angle, wherein the first optical detector is located a first distance in a first direction transverse from a principal emission direction from the optical emitter and has a first detection field of view intercepting the emission field of view, the first detection field of view centered upon a first principle detection direction, the principle emission direction and the first principle detection direction defining the first backscatter angle; a second optical detector configured to detect a second portion of the optical beam backscattered by the cloud atmosphere at a second backscatter angle different from the first backscatter angle, wherein the second optical detector is located a second distance in a second direction transverse from a principal emission direction from the optical emitter and has a second detection field of view intercepting the emission field of view, the second detection field of view centered upon a second principle detection direction, the principle emission direction and the second principle detection direction defining the second backscatter angle; and a cloud-characteristic calculator configured to calculate one or more cloud parameters of the cloud atmosphere based on the detected first and second portions; characterized in that the system further comprises: a detector aligner having two prisms located between the second optical detector and the cloud atmosphere, the two prisms configured to coordinately rotate so as to increase and/or decrease the second backscatter angle of the detected second portion of the optical beam backscattered by the cloud atmosphere. an optical emitter configured to emit an optical beam into the cloud atmosphere; a first optical detector configured to detect a first portion of the optical beam backscattered by the cloud atmosphere at a first backscatter angle, wherein the first optical detector is located a first distance in a first direction transverse from a principal emission direction from the optical emitter and has a first detection field of view intercepting the emission field of view, the first detection field of view centered upon a first principle detection direction, the principle emission direction and the first principle detection direction defining the first backscatter angle; a second optical detector configured to detect a second portion of the optical beam backscattered by the cloud atmosphere at a second backscatter angle different from the first backscatter angle, wherein the second optical detector is located a second distance in a second direction transverse from a principal emission direction from the optical emitter and has a second detection field of view intercepting the emission field of view, the second detection field of view centered upon a second principle detection direction, the principle emission direction and the second principle detection direction defining the second backscatter angle; and a cloud-characteristic calculator configured to calculate one or more cloud parameters of the cloud atmosphere based on the detected first and second portions; characterized in that the system further comprises: a detector aligner having two prisms located between the second optical detector and the cloud atmosphere, the two prisms configured to coordinately rotate so as to increase and/or decrease the second backscatter angle of the detected second portion of the optical beam backscattered by the cloud atmosphere.