NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS

 Researchers working with data from NASA's AIM spacecraft have announced that noctilucent clouds (NLCs) are behaving strangely. Boosted by changing "teleconnections" in Earth's atmosphere, the summertime clouds appeared earlier this year than ever before, setting the stage for an unusually good season of NLCs. "Unusually good" certainly describes the apparition this morning over Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland:

 

 

"It was an amazing display," says photographer Mark Ferrier. "The clouds appeared after sunset on June 8th and lasted straight through to sunrise on June 9th."

High latitude sky watchers should be alert for NLCs in the evenings ahead. In recent years they have been sighted as far south as Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska. Observing tips: Look west 30 to 60 minutes after sunset when the sun has dipped 6^o to 16^o below the horizon. If you see luminous blue-white tendrils spreading across the sky, you've probably spotted a noctilucent cloud.

 

The intent opf this post is to provide for another sourrce of "entertainment" for many people.