Lava Clouds
October 30, 2003
Provided and copyright by: Jesús Maíz Apellániz, Space Telescope Science Institute
Summary authors & editors: Jesús Maíz Apellániz
The above photo was captured this past July flying from the United States to Spain. About 30 minutes before reaching the Iberian Peninsula, the Sun started to rise just as the plane was approaching a cloud deck (seen just under the left wing) associated with a front. As a result, the clouds are illuminated from below by the rising Sun, creating this "molten lava" effect.
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