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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
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 08/17/2025 12:34:08 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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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.)
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mammatus without the boil. elegant for sure!


6 posted on 08/17/2025 12:38:09 PM PDT by StAnDeliver (TrumpII)
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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! )
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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. )
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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.)
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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!)
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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.)
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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
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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))
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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.

14 posted on 08/17/2025 2:14:24 PM PDT by StAnDeliver (TrumpII)
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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)
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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
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


17 posted on 08/17/2025 4:07:32 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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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…)
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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")
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To: BenLurkin

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

20 posted on 08/17/2025 7:00:45 PM PDT by Deaf and Discerning
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