Strange “rainbow clouds” that look like a colorful portal to another dimension have appeared across the northern sky.
These nacreous clouds, also known as polar stratospheric clouds, are one of the highest clouds in Earth’s atmosphere. They are sometimes called “mother of pearl” tows due to their stunning pearly appearance.
Related: What are the different types of clouds and how do they form?
Pearly clouds form over the polar regions in our lower stratosphere at altitudes between 68,500 and 100,000 feet (13 and 19 miles or 20 and 30 kilometers), according to UK Met Office. Most “normal” clouds exist Below 43,000 feet (8 miles or 13 km)
Why so colorful? Because of their height and the curvature of the Earth’s surface, pearly clouds are illuminated by sunlight from below the horizon and reflect it back toward the Earth. The ice particles that make up nacreous clouds are much smaller than those that make up more common clouds. When sunlight passes through these small particles, it is deflected and the colors change Divided into different wavelengths Create a stunning “rainbow” effect in the sky.
Pearly clouds need very low temperatures to form, below -108°F (-78°C), and are therefore only visible during the polar winter.
Pearly clouds lit up the sky over Norway, and Alastair Doyle He seized them from his home in Oslo.
“The clouds light up the winter, lingering in the sky an hour after sunset and just after 3pm. I’m always impressed – it’s an ethereal dose of winter magic, trapping the frozen colors of the rainbow across the sky.” Doyle told Space.com.
“They beam like the northern lights, which we can sometimes see faintly in the sky to the north here in Oslo.” Doyle continued.
Gaurav Madan He also filmed the art show from his office in Oslo, Norway.
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“It was an amazing display that lasted for about 30 minutes. Even though we are ocean and climate researchers, every one of us in the office was thrilled to see the rainbow colors reflected from the icy clouds that turned pink and red as darkness fell,” he said. Madan for Space.com.
Tuomas Olkkonen captured these images of polar stratospheric clouds over Jyväskylä, Finland.
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“Earlier that day, we saw a small bright cloud very high up, and my sister who has studied more about it said it might be a sign of polar stratospheric clouds.” Olkkonen told Space.com. “She turned out to be right and it was great to see them for only the second time in my life.”
Juha Busio Also take a photo of the colorful clouds over Taifalkoski, Finland. According to Posio, the colors were much brighter in real life and the photo taken on their phone doesn’t do the colors justice.
Polar stratospheric clouds over the Swedish Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden were also photographed by Roy Rochlin.
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However, there is a dark side to pearly clouds. They play a major role in the destruction of ozone and occur frequently in the Arctic.
Nacreous clouds contribute to ozone depletion in two ways. First, they provide a surface that converts harmless forms of chlorine into reactive forms that can destroy ozone. Secondly, it removes nitrogen compounds that mitigate the damaging effects of chlorine According to NASA.
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