Nacreous clouds
17.01.2025
Lestrar 7
Photo Jovana Björk Vladovic
This week, we have been experiencing amazing Nacreous clouds, also known as polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs), day after day.
These clouds, also known as iridescent clouds or mother-of-pearl clouds, are a rare and stunning atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when sunlight is diffracted by small water droplets or ice crystals in the clouds. They display a colorful, pearlescent sheen, often showing shades of pink, blue, green, and violet. The effect happens when the cloud particles are very small—usually less than 10 microns in diameter—allowing them to scatter light in a way that creates this beautiful, shimmering effect.
These clouds, also known as iridescent clouds or mother-of-pearl clouds, are a rare and stunning atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when sunlight is diffracted by small water droplets or ice crystals in the clouds. They display a colorful, pearlescent sheen, often showing shades of pink, blue, green, and violet. The effect happens when the cloud particles are very small—usually less than 10 microns in diameter—allowing them to scatter light in a way that creates this beautiful, shimmering effect.
Iridescent clouds are most commonly seen in high-altitude cirrostratus or cirrocumulus clouds, typically at dawn or sunset, when the sun is low on the horizon and the light is just right. They are more likely to appear in the presence of certain atmospheric conditions, such as moisture and specific temperatures that allow for the formation of small water droplets or ice crystals in the clouds.