STARS

NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS

Last night we were lucky enough to witness fine if short display of noctilucent clouds. I went out about 22.40 and the sky was glowing with clouds. I thought it was an aurora at first glance but it was soon obvious this wasn’t to be {aurora watch is very quiet at the moment as well} There’s no moon to speak of as well. I watched the display for five or tem minutes, dragging all and sundry into the garden. The responses varied from ooo cool to its cold,im missing the end of my program. And that all time classic’ will someone put that bloody outside light back on……Ahh….with every one successfully under whelmed by the wonders of nature. I nipped in to post the sighting on the web and came back out in time to see them quickly disappear….It was a fantastic display tho.

Noctilucent clouds are the highest of all clouds. They can be as much as eighty miles up!. The general thought as I understand it is that these clouds of ice crystals that form around particulate matter possibly left by the rocket trails from space launches. As the sun drops further and further below the horizon its oblique rays illuminate the clouds from below giving the spectral glow. What ever the cause the phenomenon is the sightings are becoming more regular. Last night was the third time I have been lucky enough to see them this year.

The grainy photo is from last time I saw them and the blue sky one was from last year.