Posted on 01/04/2018 3:03:15 PM PST by ransomnote
ELECTRIC-BLUE CLOUDS CIRCLING ANTARCTICA: NASA's AIM spacecraft is monitoring a vast ring of electric-blue clouds circling high above Antarctica. These are noctilucent clouds (NLCs), made of ice crystals frosting specks of "meteor smoke" in the mesosphere 83 km above the frozen continent.
This is the season for southern noctilucent clouds. Every year around this time, summertime water vapor billows up into the high atmosphere over Antarctica, providing moisture needed to form icy clouds at the edge of space. Sunlight shining through the high clouds produces an electric-blue glow, which AIM can observe from Earth orbit. "The current season began on Nov. 19th," says Cora Randall, a member of the AIM science team at the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics. "Compared to previous years of AIM data, this season seems to be fairly average, but of course one never knows what surprises lie ahead, particularly since the southern hemisphere seasons are so variable.
More at the link.
I note the NASA article also uses that shop-worn term "meteor smoke."
Gah! I forgot to post date and author and then looking at the website, there’s no date given nor is there a byline. But since it’s on today’s webpage then may I request you correct my error and add published date 1/4/2018? Thank ye!
Electric Blue Clouds?
I think I saw them at the Filmore East back in 1968...
WINNING!
Trippy! Thank you. Do you have to do anything different to post an animated gif versus a static image?
No. You use the same html for a gif as you would a jpg.
Cassandra Delaney was smokin’ hot. And certified nuts.
Add that to the LONG list of President Trump’s “First Year Accomplishments List.”
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