Swirling Clouds Over Melbourne, Florida

October 26, 2007

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Provided by: Roberto Melgar
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster, Roberto Melgar

This interesting gyration of clouds and vapor was captured over Melbourne, Florida on June 8, 2007. At a northerly location, during twilight, these wispy clouds may have been confused with noctilucent clouds. However, the low latitude and mid-level altitude of this formation precludes such an exotic explanation. The location, not far from Cape Canaveral, is a giveaway to how they formed. The peculiar clouds are remnants of a vapor trail from the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis earlier in the afternoon.