What's that in the sky? IN THE TOP PICTURE: Earlier this month, in the sky high above Hong Kong, China, not just one unusual type of cloud appeared -- but two. In the foreground was a long lenticular cloud, a cloud that forms near mountains from uprising air and might appear to some as an alien spaceship. Higher in the sky, and further in the background, was a colorful iridescent cloud. Iridescent clouds are composed of water droplets of similar size that diffract different colors of sunlight by different amounts. Furthest in the background is the Sun, blocked from direct view by the opaque lenticular, but providing the light for the colors of the iridescent. In the lower picture is a lenticular cloud over Mt. Timpanogos, Utah. Lenticular clouds over St. George, Utah. These lenticular clouds are over Mt. Rainer, Oregon.
Where stable moist air flows over a mountain or a range of mountains, a series of large-scale standing waves may form on the downwind side. Lenticular clouds sometimes form at the crests of these waves. Under certain conditions, long strings of lenticular clouds can form, creating a formation known as a wave cloud. This is the time of year when lenticular clouds can be seen over our own mountain range. Keep an eye out and you will always experience an "oohh", "aaah" moment.
18 Comments
Ashton
3/2/2016 05:12:03 pm
come on sky;)
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Emma
3/2/2016 04:48:12 pm
Those clouds look super cool!!! ;)
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Lizzie
3/2/2016 04:49:34 pm
Those pics are amazing!!! I love science!!! :D
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Becca
3/2/2016 05:08:04 pm
Those pics are soo cool!!! :)
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Dylan T
3/2/2016 06:09:11 pm
Yea maby there are UFOs in the middle of the clouds. Or the clouds are UFOs
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Olivia Sharp
3/2/2016 06:23:28 pm
Those clouds are awesome! ;)
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Meirah
3/2/2016 06:39:03 pm
I love those clouds!!!!!
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bryant
3/2/2016 07:22:42 pm
they look like giant cloud dragons. (if that even is a thing)
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Athena
3/2/2016 07:39:40 pm
Those look so cool do they ever happen here or if they don't were are they i want to see one
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sammi
3/2/2016 07:54:58 pm
k.....the first thing in my head when the blog came up was whoooooaaaaaa!!!! those pics are AWESOME!!!! ALMOST AS AWESOME AS ME!!! but uh i beat it by just a little
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Olivia Barlow
3/3/2016 07:19:15 am
Are we learning about clouds next?
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |