What is this spaceship-shaped cloud?
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This tweet from the European Space Agency (ESA)'s Spanish account show a striking photo of a round, flat, "space-ship-shaped" cloud in an otherwise completely clear sky. The stars are out so I assume this is at night, possibly with a Moon.
Could this be real? If so, what kind of cloud is it? and how can it appear out in the open?
identification-request clouds
asked Jan 10 at 4:39
uhohuhoh
2,117631
$endgroup$
|
show 1 more comment
$begingroup$
This tweet from the European Space Agency (ESA)'s Spanish account show a striking photo of a round, flat, "space-ship-shaped" cloud in an otherwise completely clear sky. The stars are out so I assume this is at night, possibly with a Moon.
Could this be real? If so, what kind of cloud is it? and how can it appear out in the open?
identification-request clouds
asked Jan 10 at 4:39
uhohuhoh
2,117631
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
For people in the northern hemisphere, the stars to the right of the cloud is what the constellation Orion looks like from the southern hemisphere.
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– Fred
Jan 10 at 8:28
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@uhoh - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 10 at 8:29
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@gansub hadn't even noticed the mountain, "...and how can it appear out in the open?" I know funny things happen at the tops of mountains but this (at first) seemed to come out of nowhere. Thanks!
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– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:45
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Yes indeed, that's another reason I may have been distracted.
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:48
1
$begingroup$
@uhoh your next question ought to be - why is this lenticular cloud so much higher than the peak of that mountain ? This one on the other hand is touching the mountain peak - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 11 at 7:39
|
show 1 more comment
$begingroup$
This tweet from the European Space Agency (ESA)'s Spanish account show a striking photo of a round, flat, "space-ship-shaped" cloud in an otherwise completely clear sky. The stars are out so I assume this is at night, possibly with a Moon.
Could this be real? If so, what kind of cloud is it? and how can it appear out in the open?
identification-request clouds
asked Jan 10 at 4:39
uhohuhoh
2,117631
$endgroup$
This tweet from the European Space Agency (ESA)'s Spanish account show a striking photo of a round, flat, "space-ship-shaped" cloud in an otherwise completely clear sky. The stars are out so I assume this is at night, possibly with a Moon.
Could this be real? If so, what kind of cloud is it? and how can it appear out in the open?
identification-request clouds
identification-request clouds
asked Jan 10 at 4:39
uhohuhoh
2,117631
asked Jan 10 at 4:39
uhohuhoh
2,117631
asked Jan 10 at 4:39
uhohuhoh
2,117631
asked Jan 10 at 4:39
uhohuhoh
2,117631
asked Jan 10 at 4:39
uhohuhoh
2,117631
2,117631
1
$begingroup$
For people in the northern hemisphere, the stars to the right of the cloud is what the constellation Orion looks like from the southern hemisphere.
$endgroup$
– Fred
Jan 10 at 8:28
$begingroup$
@uhoh - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 10 at 8:29
$begingroup$
@gansub hadn't even noticed the mountain, "...and how can it appear out in the open?" I know funny things happen at the tops of mountains but this (at first) seemed to come out of nowhere. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:45
$begingroup$
Yes indeed, that's another reason I may have been distracted.
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:48
1
$begingroup$
@uhoh your next question ought to be - why is this lenticular cloud so much higher than the peak of that mountain ? This one on the other hand is touching the mountain peak - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 11 at 7:39
|
show 1 more comment
1
$begingroup$
For people in the northern hemisphere, the stars to the right of the cloud is what the constellation Orion looks like from the southern hemisphere.
$endgroup$
– Fred
Jan 10 at 8:28
$begingroup$
@uhoh - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 10 at 8:29
$begingroup$
@gansub hadn't even noticed the mountain, "...and how can it appear out in the open?" I know funny things happen at the tops of mountains but this (at first) seemed to come out of nowhere. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:45
$begingroup$
Yes indeed, that's another reason I may have been distracted.
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:48
1
$begingroup$
@uhoh your next question ought to be - why is this lenticular cloud so much higher than the peak of that mountain ? This one on the other hand is touching the mountain peak - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 11 at 7:39
1
1
$begingroup$
For people in the northern hemisphere, the stars to the right of the cloud is what the constellation Orion looks like from the southern hemisphere.
$endgroup$
– Fred
Jan 10 at 8:28
$begingroup$
For people in the northern hemisphere, the stars to the right of the cloud is what the constellation Orion looks like from the southern hemisphere.
$endgroup$
– Fred
Jan 10 at 8:28
$begingroup$
@uhoh - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 10 at 8:29
$begingroup$
@uhoh - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 10 at 8:29
$begingroup$
@gansub hadn't even noticed the mountain, "...and how can it appear out in the open?" I know funny things happen at the tops of mountains but this (at first) seemed to come out of nowhere. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:45
$begingroup$
@gansub hadn't even noticed the mountain, "...and how can it appear out in the open?" I know funny things happen at the tops of mountains but this (at first) seemed to come out of nowhere. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:45
$begingroup$
Yes indeed, that's another reason I may have been distracted.
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:48
$begingroup$
Yes indeed, that's another reason I may have been distracted.
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:48
1
1
$begingroup$
@uhoh your next question ought to be - why is this lenticular cloud so much higher than the peak of that mountain ? This one on the other hand is touching the mountain peak - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 11 at 7:39
$begingroup$
@uhoh your next question ought to be - why is this lenticular cloud so much higher than the peak of that mountain ? This one on the other hand is touching the mountain peak - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 11 at 7:39
|
show 1 more comment
1 Answer
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oldest
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$begingroup$
The image shown is a lenticular cloud, a type of cloud often observed around significant topographical features such as the mountain peaks shown in the photo. Depending on the local atmospheric moisture, they can occur on their own (as in this case), apart from other cloud features.
All cloud growth depends on the condensation of water resulting from air being cooled as it is lifted vertically by some forcing mechanism. However, these clouds are an exception to more typical cloud growth, which depends on the atmosphere having a tendency (or instability) for air to continue rising - and thereby condensing more liquid water - once forced upward.
Following the initial source cited above, lenticular clouds form in environments that are stable (i.e., not conducive) to these vertical motions, so upward motion is entirely driven by air forced over an obstacle - in this case, mountain terrain. From a horizontal view, the vertical motion forced by this obstacle commonly takes the form of a persistent wave pattern: 
image source
This occurs downwind of the terrain feature, with clouds forming over the portion of the wave featuring upwards vertical motion. This becomes extremely evident when viewing time-lapse videos of this phenomenon.
answered Jan 10 at 5:09
dplmmrdplmmr
53017
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
I was so fascinated by the cloud and distracted by the stars that didn't really notice the mountain in the photo until reading your answer. Yep, there it is! Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 5:13
1
$begingroup$
It's my favorite type of cloud, and a good example of how clouds are often indicators of some other mechanism at play, even subtle terrain features!
$endgroup$
– dplmmr
Jan 10 at 5:17
$begingroup$
A type of Orographic clouds that develop in response to the forced lifting of air by the earth's topography.
$endgroup$
– Keith McClary
Jan 10 at 22:42
add a comment |
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$begingroup$
The image shown is a lenticular cloud, a type of cloud often observed around significant topographical features such as the mountain peaks shown in the photo. Depending on the local atmospheric moisture, they can occur on their own (as in this case), apart from other cloud features.
All cloud growth depends on the condensation of water resulting from air being cooled as it is lifted vertically by some forcing mechanism. However, these clouds are an exception to more typical cloud growth, which depends on the atmosphere having a tendency (or instability) for air to continue rising - and thereby condensing more liquid water - once forced upward.
Following the initial source cited above, lenticular clouds form in environments that are stable (i.e., not conducive) to these vertical motions, so upward motion is entirely driven by air forced over an obstacle - in this case, mountain terrain. From a horizontal view, the vertical motion forced by this obstacle commonly takes the form of a persistent wave pattern: image source
This occurs downwind of the terrain feature, with clouds forming over the portion of the wave featuring upwards vertical motion. This becomes extremely evident when viewing time-lapse videos of this phenomenon.
answered Jan 10 at 5:09
dplmmrdplmmr
53017
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
I was so fascinated by the cloud and distracted by the stars that didn't really notice the mountain in the photo until reading your answer. Yep, there it is! Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 5:13
1
$begingroup$
It's my favorite type of cloud, and a good example of how clouds are often indicators of some other mechanism at play, even subtle terrain features!
$endgroup$
– dplmmr
Jan 10 at 5:17
$begingroup$
A type of Orographic clouds that develop in response to the forced lifting of air by the earth's topography.
$endgroup$
– Keith McClary
Jan 10 at 22:42
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The image shown is a lenticular cloud, a type of cloud often observed around significant topographical features such as the mountain peaks shown in the photo. Depending on the local atmospheric moisture, they can occur on their own (as in this case), apart from other cloud features.
All cloud growth depends on the condensation of water resulting from air being cooled as it is lifted vertically by some forcing mechanism. However, these clouds are an exception to more typical cloud growth, which depends on the atmosphere having a tendency (or instability) for air to continue rising - and thereby condensing more liquid water - once forced upward.
Following the initial source cited above, lenticular clouds form in environments that are stable (i.e., not conducive) to these vertical motions, so upward motion is entirely driven by air forced over an obstacle - in this case, mountain terrain. From a horizontal view, the vertical motion forced by this obstacle commonly takes the form of a persistent wave pattern: image source
This occurs downwind of the terrain feature, with clouds forming over the portion of the wave featuring upwards vertical motion. This becomes extremely evident when viewing time-lapse videos of this phenomenon.
answered Jan 10 at 5:09
dplmmrdplmmr
53017
$endgroup$
1
$begingroup$
I was so fascinated by the cloud and distracted by the stars that didn't really notice the mountain in the photo until reading your answer. Yep, there it is! Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 5:13
1
$begingroup$
It's my favorite type of cloud, and a good example of how clouds are often indicators of some other mechanism at play, even subtle terrain features!
$endgroup$
– dplmmr
Jan 10 at 5:17
$begingroup$
A type of Orographic clouds that develop in response to the forced lifting of air by the earth's topography.
$endgroup$
– Keith McClary
Jan 10 at 22:42
add a comment |
$begingroup$
The image shown is a lenticular cloud, a type of cloud often observed around significant topographical features such as the mountain peaks shown in the photo. Depending on the local atmospheric moisture, they can occur on their own (as in this case), apart from other cloud features.
All cloud growth depends on the condensation of water resulting from air being cooled as it is lifted vertically by some forcing mechanism. However, these clouds are an exception to more typical cloud growth, which depends on the atmosphere having a tendency (or instability) for air to continue rising - and thereby condensing more liquid water - once forced upward.
Following the initial source cited above, lenticular clouds form in environments that are stable (i.e., not conducive) to these vertical motions, so upward motion is entirely driven by air forced over an obstacle - in this case, mountain terrain. From a horizontal view, the vertical motion forced by this obstacle commonly takes the form of a persistent wave pattern: image source
This occurs downwind of the terrain feature, with clouds forming over the portion of the wave featuring upwards vertical motion. This becomes extremely evident when viewing time-lapse videos of this phenomenon.
answered Jan 10 at 5:09
dplmmrdplmmr
53017
$endgroup$
The image shown is a lenticular cloud, a type of cloud often observed around significant topographical features such as the mountain peaks shown in the photo. Depending on the local atmospheric moisture, they can occur on their own (as in this case), apart from other cloud features.
All cloud growth depends on the condensation of water resulting from air being cooled as it is lifted vertically by some forcing mechanism. However, these clouds are an exception to more typical cloud growth, which depends on the atmosphere having a tendency (or instability) for air to continue rising - and thereby condensing more liquid water - once forced upward.
Following the initial source cited above, lenticular clouds form in environments that are stable (i.e., not conducive) to these vertical motions, so upward motion is entirely driven by air forced over an obstacle - in this case, mountain terrain. From a horizontal view, the vertical motion forced by this obstacle commonly takes the form of a persistent wave pattern: image source
This occurs downwind of the terrain feature, with clouds forming over the portion of the wave featuring upwards vertical motion. This becomes extremely evident when viewing time-lapse videos of this phenomenon.
answered Jan 10 at 5:09
dplmmrdplmmr
53017
answered Jan 10 at 5:09
dplmmrdplmmr
53017
answered Jan 10 at 5:09
dplmmrdplmmr
53017
answered Jan 10 at 5:09
dplmmrdplmmr
53017
53017
1
$begingroup$
I was so fascinated by the cloud and distracted by the stars that didn't really notice the mountain in the photo until reading your answer. Yep, there it is! Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 5:13
1
$begingroup$
It's my favorite type of cloud, and a good example of how clouds are often indicators of some other mechanism at play, even subtle terrain features!
$endgroup$
– dplmmr
Jan 10 at 5:17
$begingroup$
A type of Orographic clouds that develop in response to the forced lifting of air by the earth's topography.
$endgroup$
– Keith McClary
Jan 10 at 22:42
add a comment |
1
$begingroup$
I was so fascinated by the cloud and distracted by the stars that didn't really notice the mountain in the photo until reading your answer. Yep, there it is! Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 5:13
1
$begingroup$
It's my favorite type of cloud, and a good example of how clouds are often indicators of some other mechanism at play, even subtle terrain features!
$endgroup$
– dplmmr
Jan 10 at 5:17
$begingroup$
A type of Orographic clouds that develop in response to the forced lifting of air by the earth's topography.
$endgroup$
– Keith McClary
Jan 10 at 22:42
1
1
$begingroup$
I was so fascinated by the cloud and distracted by the stars that didn't really notice the mountain in the photo until reading your answer. Yep, there it is! Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 5:13
$begingroup$
I was so fascinated by the cloud and distracted by the stars that didn't really notice the mountain in the photo until reading your answer. Yep, there it is! Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 5:13
1
1
$begingroup$
It's my favorite type of cloud, and a good example of how clouds are often indicators of some other mechanism at play, even subtle terrain features!
$endgroup$
– dplmmr
Jan 10 at 5:17
$begingroup$
It's my favorite type of cloud, and a good example of how clouds are often indicators of some other mechanism at play, even subtle terrain features!
$endgroup$
– dplmmr
Jan 10 at 5:17
$begingroup$
A type of Orographic clouds that develop in response to the forced lifting of air by the earth's topography.
$endgroup$
– Keith McClary
Jan 10 at 22:42
$begingroup$
A type of Orographic clouds that develop in response to the forced lifting of air by the earth's topography.
$endgroup$
– Keith McClary
Jan 10 at 22:42
add a comment |
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1
$begingroup$
For people in the northern hemisphere, the stars to the right of the cloud is what the constellation Orion looks like from the southern hemisphere.
$endgroup$
– Fred
Jan 10 at 8:28
$begingroup$
@uhoh - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 10 at 8:29
$begingroup$
@gansub hadn't even noticed the mountain, "...and how can it appear out in the open?" I know funny things happen at the tops of mountains but this (at first) seemed to come out of nowhere. Thanks!
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:45
$begingroup$
Yes indeed, that's another reason I may have been distracted.
$endgroup$
– uhoh
Jan 10 at 8:48
1
$begingroup$
@uhoh your next question ought to be - why is this lenticular cloud so much higher than the peak of that mountain ? This one on the other hand is touching the mountain peak - earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/8375/…
$endgroup$
– gansub
Jan 11 at 7:39