Observers noticed UFO look-alike clouds in Hawaiian skies above the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes.
The photographs had been taken on March 8 from the vantage level of the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is positioned close to the summit of the dormant volcano Mauna Kea in Hawaii. The photographs seize lenticular clouds, that are often created downwind of a hill or mountain as robust winds blow over and round tough terrain.
“We noticed some UFOs as we speak! Or fairly, their doppelgangers. Take a look at these beautiful photographs a number of Keckies took of flying saucer-shaped lenticular clouds hovering close to Maunakea and Mauna Loa. Did you see them too?” the observatory wrote on Twitter (opens in new tab) on March 8.
Associated: Keck Observatory: Twin Telescopes on Mauna Kea
Lenticular clouds — scientifically often known as altocumulus standing lenticularus — usually kind within the troposphere, the bottom layer of Earth’s atmosphere, parallel to the wind path, which provides them their otherworldly look.
These clouds are pretty frequent over the western half of the mainland because of the Rockies however comparatively uncommon in Hawaii, in accordance with the National Weather Service (opens in new tab).
These unusual wanting clouds are generally mistaken for UFOs attributable to their easy saucer-like form. They fashioned close to Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, which attain above 13,000 toes (3,960 meters) in elevation, as a result of robust winds are pressured to move over and across the peaks of the volcanoes. This, in flip, creates waves within the ambiance simply downwind of each of the summits.
The photographs had been taken by workers on the observatory, together with Rick Krejci, software program engineer; Sherry Yeh, employees astronomer; Avinash Surendran, postdoctoral fellow; and Arina Rostopchina, observing assistant.
Comply with Samantha Mathewson @Sam_Ashley13 (opens in new tab). Comply with us @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab), or on Facebook (opens in new tab) and Instagram (opens in new tab).
