Noctilucent Clouds Observed Over Ørsta, Norway

September 02, 2015

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Photographer: Geir T. B. Øye
Summary Authors: Geir T. B. Øye; Jim Foster

September 2015 Viewer's ChoiceThis impressive display of electric-blue-white noctilucent clouds was observed over Ørsta, Norway, in the early hours of August 4, 2015. These polar mesospheric clouds take shape 30 to 55 mi (50 to 87 km) above the Earth’s surface as water vapor condenses around small particles that are thought to be of meteoric origin. Noctilucent clouds are usually only seen during summer nights -- when the Sun is about 6 and 16 degrees below the horizon. Structure in this display was especially evident when an upper atmosphere wave drifted over the peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps. Photo taken at 2:30 a.m.

 
Photo Details: Canon EOS 650D camera; Sigma 50 mm - 500 mm lens; tripod; ISO 100; 3.5 second exposure.