Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Noctilucent Clouds Over Edmonton

NASA ^ | July 20, 2011 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Sometimes it's night on the ground but day in the air. As the Earth rotates to eclipse the Sun, sunset rises up from the ground. Therefore, at sunset on the ground, sunlight still shines on clouds above. Under usual circumstances, a pretty sunset might be visible, but unusual noctilucent clouds float so high up they can be seen well after dark. Normally too dim to be seen, they may become visible at sunset during late summer when illuminated by sunlight from below. Noctilucent clouds are the highest clouds known and thought to be part of polar mesospheric clouds. Pictured above earlier this month, a network of noctilucent clouds cast an eerie white glow after dusk, above the the city of Edmonton, in Alberta, Canada. Much about noctilucent clouds has been discovered only over the past few years, while how they form and evolve remains a topic of active research.

[SunkenCiv]

;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’);’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’);’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’) ;’)

Oh, you think *that’s* the reason, huh?

[knews_hound]

A hearty welcome indeed from one (amateur) photographer to another (much better) photographer.

You were fortunate indeed as well as most patient to see such an amazing display and to be able to share it with us.

Thank you for the most excellent pic and welcome to Free Republic.

Cheers,

knewshound

[left that other site]

A Warm FR Welcome to you... I am impressed by your photography!

[Grammy]

Beautiful job Greg. Welcome.

[gscratch]

Thanks for the warm welcome - I may be the only left-winger aboard - but hey, I’m Canadian. The leftest of your left is righter than my right. ;)

I do however fit somewhere in the middle. I’m a capitalist who believes in social welfare, and I’m a gun-nut who believes in moderate gun-control. Even in Canada I have a hard time fitting in politically.

What I do believe is this - if you’re here, you care about your country. And that my friends aint half bad. ;)

Thanks for your comments on the shot. I’m an amateur shooter after a long layoff, but I’m more than pleased that APOD allowed me to be a part of that piece of Nasa history. It hasn’t been my first submission and won’t be my last I’m sure.

Keep looking up, keep our skies familiar, and keep an eye on this planet so our kids will be proud of our efforts.

[gscratch]

Great shot - beautiful light. You should be proud of this one!