Noctilucent Clouds

[frogesque]

Not seen anything from here yet but Spaceweather has a repot from Denmark on the 1st June.

"NLC SEASON BEGINS: Recent data from NASA's AIM spacecraft show that noctilucent clouds (NLCs) are like a great "geophysical light bulb." They turn on every year in late spring, reaching almost full intensity over a period of no more than 5 to 10 days. News flash: The bulb is beginning to glow. Jesper Grønne photographed a bank of NLCs rippling over Silkeborg, Denmark, on June 1st: ..."

More from linkey.

http://spaceweather.com/

Keep watching the sky on clear nights - we had some superb sightings last year!

[kar999]

Keep watching the sky on clear nights - we had some superb sightings last year!

Yep... last year was incredible with what seemed like display after display almost on a daily (nightly) basis.

Look out here for sightings reports... http://www.nlcnet.co.uk/nlcreps.htm

And here for discussion forum..... http://nlcnet.proboards77.com/

Edited June 2, 2010 by kar999

[Weather-history]

Compared to last year, it has been a poor season thus far.

[frogesque]

Compared to last year, it has been a poor season thus far.

Agreed! It's 1.05am and an almost perfect night for looking. There are a few very faint smudges of NC just above the horizon (virtually due N). Seriously not worth clarting about with the camera and tripod though. I'll give it another 30mins to see if anything better develops. If not them I'm off to bed!

[frogesque]

1.30am from the front door.

Ok, not a brilliant display but worth a 10min drive!

last pic just after 2.00am and a distinct brightening of the pre dawn sky so I called it a day. Off for some now

[Evening thunder]

Very nice! :lol: I'm still to see my first NLC's this year despite the clear skies, after seeing some good displays last year which was the first time I had seen them and really became aware of them.

I try to look every evening but am usually in deep B) come 2-3am though!

[Noctilucid]

Can see what I think are Noctilucent clouds out to my North at present, very eerie pale against the night sky. :lol:

Edited July 9, 2010 by Free Three

[Evening thunder]

I can see those too, but now there's low cloud drifting in from the west :lol: off to see if I can get any pics.

Edited July 9, 2010 by StormMad26

[morfius]

I saw them too, first ever time i've seen them and I think it was a very good show as well. Here's one of the better pictures I just took (I think I need a tripod to be honest)

The setting on my camera has made the sky look orange, when in fact it's actually a green sunset/horizon.

Edited July 9, 2010 by morfius

[Crepuscular Ray]

I'm glad I wasn't imagining things - I'm a few files north of you Morfius. Your photo's much clearer than any of mine. I, too, need a tripod for the camera.

[Chris Knight]

Just taken the Missus out to see them. The best since last year, but sadly no charged battery in camera :lol:

Wait a minute, I could charge it before dawn begins to break in an hour or so... hold this thread, and be prepared for disappointment, and bags under the eyes.

[80sWeather]

Went outside to put the guinea pigs back in the cage, but went back in to get the camera instead.

[Evening thunder]

Went out to take some pics, I was just experimenting really with my dads 'older' camera which is better than mine that needs replacing and I haven't used for photographing NLC's before. Some of them did have a bit of a noise problem, as well as a cloud problem in the sky at times, however I'm quite impressed with how some came out especially the close up ones and the detail in them.

It was also nice to have a warm evening while taking those pics! Currently 18.9C still.

Edited July 9, 2010 by StormMad26

[frogesque]

Looks as if last night was the best night for NLC in a long time, Well done guys for the great pics.

We had . . . rain! Bah!!!!

[Terminal Moraine]

I half heard a piece on Radio 4 on Thursday afternoon in which two scientists claimed to have found a link between the incidence of noctilucent clouds and the temperature of the mesosphere.

It seems the temperature of the mesosphere varies on a 5 day cycle and (I think, if I heard correctly ) the temperature minimum is most conducive for noctilucent clouds.

Monday, July 19th is the next minimum so the forecast is for good n/l cloud spotting conditions around 2200 g.m.t, cloud permitting. Look to the north and north east.

[sunny starry skies]

lovely photos there! Pity it was cloudy in embra toon...

[frogesque]

I half heard a piece on Radio 4 on Thursday afternoon in which two scientists claimed to have found a link between the incidence of noctilucent clouds and the temperature of the mesosphere.

It seems the temperature of the mesosphere varies on a 5 day cycle and (I think, if I heard correctly ) the temperature minimum is most conducive for noctilucent clouds.

Monday, July 19th is the next minimum so the forecast is for good n/l cloud spotting conditions around 2200 g.m.t, cloud permitting. Look to the north and north east.

It was Material World 4.30pm Thursday 15th July. You can hear it again on BBC iPlayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00t0g9w

[morfius]

Here's a nice little bbc slideshow on them which was posted up today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-10635796