Rare clouds

Eh, the news sites have this on record but nothing from APOD? That's strange.... Normally the cool dudes on APOD would be the first to post stuff. Nevermind, Reuters to the rescue!

These stunning pictures captured an extremely rare event :

Rare, mother-of-pearl colored clouds caused by extreme weather conditions above Antarctica are a possible indication of global warming, Australian scientists said on Tuesday. Known as nacreous clouds, the spectacular formations showing delicate wisps of colors were photographed in the sky over an Australian meteorological base at Mawson Station on July 25.

Australian Antarctic Division scientist Andrew Klekociuk said such clouds are occasionally produced by air rising over Arctic and Antarctic mountains in high polar llatitudes during winter. "You have to be in the right part of the world in winter, and have the sun just below your horizon to see them," he said.

Nacreous clouds can only form in temperatures lower than minus 80 degrees Celsius (minus 112 Fahrenheit).

How rare is rare? How strange do these clouds look like?




It doesn't even look real, does it? Amazing!