We have been getting some superb photos of those ‘mom of pearl’ nacreous clouds noticed throughout the area right this moment. pic.twitter.com/rxEfYIYzBz
— ITV Information Tyne Tees (@itvtynetees) December 21, 2023
Folks noticed a great deal of lovely nacreous clouds from all around the UK yesterday! These uncommon, very excessive clouds are also called mom of pearl clouds. They’re a sort of polar stratospheric cloud, recognized to mirror coloured gentle after sundown and earlier than dawn. Earth’s stratosphere is often cloud-free, however these clouds do generally seem some 9-16 miles (15-25 km) excessive in Earth’s environment. They’re stated to have extra rainbow-like colours than the iridescent clouds seen around the globe pretty generally, at decrease latitudes.
A lone Eurasian Curlew in opposition to the ‘mom of pearl’ nacreous clouds this night at Holkham, Norfolk. pic.twitter.com/oXJfyaviW5
— Wild Beijing ???? (@BirdingBeijing) December 21, 2023
Why do they happen?
Les Cowley of the web site Atmospheric Optics posted a ravishing explanation for these clouds after one other outbreak over the UK again in February 2016, saying:
Nacreous clouds, generally known as mother-of-pearl clouds, are uncommon however as soon as seen are by no means forgotten. They’re largely seen inside two hours after sundown or earlier than daybreak after they blaze unbelievably brilliant with vivid and slowly shifting iridescent colors. They’re filmy sheets slowly curling and uncurling, stretching and contracting within the semi-dark sky. In contrast with darkish scudding low altitude clouds that is likely to be current, nacreous clouds stand majestically in nearly the identical place – an indicator of their nice top.
They want the very frigid areas of the decrease stratosphere some 15 – 25 km (9 -16 mile) excessive and nicely above tropospheric clouds. They’re so brilliant after sundown and earlier than daybreak as a result of at these heights they’re nonetheless sunlit.
They’re seen largely throughout winter at excessive latitudes like Scandinavia, Iceland, Alaska and Northern Canada. Generally, nonetheless, they happen as far south because the UK.
We couldn’t imagine our eyes ??#NacreousClouds are an especially uncommon sight in Britain – they happen at about 70,000 to 100,000 toes above the earth’s floor within the stratosphere.
Tiny ice crystals act like prisms refracting & reflecting the sunshine to provide cloud iridescence. pic.twitter.com/seZoqufhSD
— Doddington Corridor (@DoddingtonHall) December 21, 2023
Are polar stratospheric clouds a trigger for concern?
Spaceweather.com added that – though they as soon as have been considered “mere curiosities,” some polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) are actually recognized to be related to the destruction of ozone:
Certainly, an ozone gap shaped over the UK in February 2016 following an outbreak of ozone-destroying Sort 1 PSCs.
In the event you noticed nacreous clouds this week, make sure you share your photos with us!
it is nonetheless occurring. Ive solely seen nacreous clouds as soon as earlier than, and that point it was fairly transient. however this has been performing all day right here pic.twitter.com/bA0an4SGrg
— linden hawthorne (@Haggewoods) December 21, 2023
For winter solstice, #Nacreousclouds over Whitby this afternoon. Unusual they need to seem when the climate is so delicate. pic.twitter.com/hwvGjIrQej
— Whitby Naturalists (@WhitbyNats) December 21, 2023
Nacreous clouds dissipating on the finish of the day – they have been displaying all afternoon again within the midlands! #nacreousclouds pic.twitter.com/y6ymYBmciE
— St Martin’s Ecologist (@GranthamEcology) December 21, 2023
Backside line: Polar stratospheric clouds – additionally known as nacreous clouds or mother-of-pearl clouds – have been placing on a present this week.
