Astronomy Picture of the Day 3-26-03

NASA ^ | 3-26-03 | Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell

[petuniasevan]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2003 March 26

A Lenticular Cloud Over Wyoming
Credit & Copyright: Mark Meyer (Photo-Mark.com)

Explanation: Is that a cloud or a flying saucer? Both, although it is surely not an alien spacecraft. Lenticular clouds can be shaped like a saucer, and can fly in the sense that, like most clouds, they are composed of small water droplets that float on air. Lenticular clouds are typically formed by high winds over rugged terrain and are particularly apparent when few other clouds are in the sky. Lenticular clouds can take on particularly strange, layered shapes. Above, a couple stopped their car near Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, USA to photograph this lenticular cloud behind picturesque windmills.

[petuniasevan]

Off-topic pic today. As for the windmills, sorry Bob and Jerry: they're NOT picturesque.

Unusual cloud formations are a great photographic subject.
There are some locations near certain mountains which produce lenticular clouds quite often.

Here's a spectacular example over Denali (Mt. McKinley) in Alaska:

[petuniasevan]

[farmfriend]

These are too cool.

[Jeff Chandler]

Thank you once again for a calming diversion from the day's news.

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping

[Soaring Feather]

WOW, never have I seen anything like this.

[dd5339]

Ping!

[RightWhale]

That's an interesting-looking cloud. In the interior of Alaska the weather changes slowly and events are usually minor. Weak cloud formations that stay for days and weeks are the norm. Thunderstorms, when they occur at all are weak, a few mild booms and flashes, sometimes rain, but hardly ever a significant amount. Hailstorms often, but very mild. Dust devils rather than tornados. Not much snow in winter. Not much wind, if any. In other words, very little weather, as we used to say in New England.

[sistergoldenhair]

I've never seen clouds like these.
Interesting. Thanks for the ping.