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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Asperitas Clouds Over New Zealand
NASA ^
| 17 Aug, 2025
| Image Credit & Copyright: Witta Priester
Posted on 08/17/2025 12:34:08 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: What kind of clouds are these? Although their cause is presently unknown, such unusual atmospheric structures, as menacing as they might seem, do not appear to be harbingers of meteorological doom. Formally recognized as a distinct cloud type only last year, asperitas clouds can be stunning in appearance, unusual in occurrence, and are relatively unstudied. Whereas most low cloud decks are flat bottomed, asperitas clouds appear to have significant vertical structure underneath. Speculation therefore holds that asperitas clouds might be related to lenticular clouds that form near mountains, or mammatus clouds associated with thunderstorms, or perhaps a foehn -- a type of dry downward wind that flows off mountains. Clouds from such a wind called the Canterbury arch stream toward the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. The featured image, taken above Hanmer Springs in Canterbury, New Zealand in 2005, shows great detail partly because sunlight illuminates the undulating clouds from the side.
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa
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To: MtnClimber
2
posted on
08/17/2025 12:34:29 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list
🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔
3
posted on
08/17/2025 12:35:25 PM PDT
by
MtnClimber
(For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
To: MtnClimber
Looks like an iffy day for flying.
4
posted on
08/17/2025 12:36:31 PM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
To: MtnClimber
Beautiful—almost fractal...
5
posted on
08/17/2025 12:37:42 PM PDT
by
cgbg
(It was not us. It was them--all along.)
mammatus without the boil. elegant for sure!
6
posted on
08/17/2025 12:38:09 PM PDT
by
StAnDeliver
(TrumpII)
To: StAnDeliver
If you want
mammatus clouds, here is the view looking up at the sky on Sunday morning, May 18, 1980, after Mt. St. Helens erupted, dumping a half inch or more layer of ash over eastern Washington state.
7
posted on
08/17/2025 12:48:11 PM PDT
by
Carl Vehse
(Make Austin Texas Again! )
To: MtnClimber
For the full effect, you need to watch those clouds forming while listening to Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries.” 😁 Bet that would scare most any reprobate into confessing.
8
posted on
08/17/2025 12:50:48 PM PDT
by
T-Bird45
(It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't. )
To: MtnClimber

Kind of like ocean waves in the sky!
9
posted on
08/17/2025 12:52:11 PM PDT
by
Nateman
(Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
To: MtnClimber
Kinda looks like the surface of Jupiter if you were to view it from a ship in low—Jupiter-orbit.
10
posted on
08/17/2025 12:59:17 PM PDT
by
BradyLS
(DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
To: MtnClimber
Looks like an ominous foreboding warning of some coming apocalyptic event.
11
posted on
08/17/2025 12:59:56 PM PDT
by
Rennes Templar
(President Trump is back.)
To: MtnClimber
It looks like someone’s lost loved one looking down from the heavens.
12
posted on
08/17/2025 1:13:34 PM PDT
by
zeebee
To: MtnClimber
Nature’s lava lamp.
Stunningly beautiful.
13
posted on
08/17/2025 1:48:00 PM PDT
by
AFB-XYZ
(( We have two options: 1. Stand up, or 2. Bend over))
To: Carl Vehse
Isn't that amazing. But there's the boil. Pyrocataclysm.
New Zealand so temperate, those winds are cozying up to some elevated light CAPE but smoothed out for orthographic upflow -- no 'nader juice' bringing up the boil. Similar smoothed-flex cloud structures in both SoCal and the Ganges Basin.
To: MtnClimber
I see 2 eyes, nose and mouth of some horrid creature...
15
posted on
08/17/2025 2:23:19 PM PDT
by
goodnesswins
(Democracy to Demo rats is stealing other peoples money for their use, no matter how idiotic)
To: MtnClimber
I saw something very similar when I was in NZ.
16
posted on
08/17/2025 3:28:59 PM PDT
by
Zathras
To: MtnClimber
17
posted on
08/17/2025 4:07:32 PM PDT
by
No name given
( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
To: BradyLS
Kinda looks like the surface of Jupiter if you were to view it from a ship in low—Jupiter-orbit.
Now THAT would be supercool!
Very graceful!
18
posted on
08/17/2025 5:02:19 PM PDT
by
telescope115
(Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
To: goodnesswins
Same here.
Looks like some demonic looking creature grinning maniacally.
19
posted on
08/17/2025 5:19:55 PM PDT
by
mitch5501
("make your calling and election sure:for if ye do these things ye shall never fall")
To: BenLurkin

Number One, I knew we were overdue for a giant space face. It’s been, what, two weeks?
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