Photos: Shiny clouds light up Netherlands' night skies
This is a good time of year to look up at the sky after sunset and before sunrise. Around the start of the astronomical summer on June 21st, there is a good chance that you will encounter the weather phenomenon noctilucent clouds. The shiny clouds could be seen all over the Netherlands on Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
Noctilucent clouds are created by tiny ice crystals forming on dust particles. "When the sun is down for us and it gets dark, the clouds are still lit by the sun. This makes it look like these clouds are shining in the dark", Weerplaza writes about the phenomenon. Because it is often quite windy in the Netherlands this time of year, the glowing clouds may also look like they're dancing, according to the weather service.
Shining clouds are a quite rare phenomenon, only appearing a few days in the year. If you missed it last night, there is still a chance of noctilucent clouds in the coming weeks.
Wow wat een indrukwekkend natuurverschijnsel in de betuwe rond 0.30 uur vannacht, dit was absoluut de moeite waard om te bekijken #lichtendenachtwolken #TimeLapse @OmroepGLD @BuienRadarNL @Lingestreek @MeteoGroupWeer @BuitenGewoonGLD @helgavanleur @WilliamHuizinga pic.twitter.com/rXFLYuQ8MN
— Chris Biesheuvel.nl (@ChrisBFH) June 13, 2019
https://twitter.com/JoostOstendorf/status/1138932562120847365
#lichtendenachtwolken vanuit Uithoorn 23.45 @NOSWeer pic.twitter.com/jKhDmovmZj
— pcb (@pcb1970pcb) June 12, 2019
Haven #lichtendenachtwolken pic.twitter.com/CVc1JzvgBI
— De Ziekenpa (@DeZiekenpa) June 12, 2019
Prachtige lichtende nachtwolken boven #Terschelling vanacht! Zo mooi zie je ze zelden. #nlc pic.twitter.com/3ke5jWqVHf
— Jelte Arntzen (@JelteArntzen) June 12, 2019
Een geweldig mooi veld aan noctilucent clouds, ookwel lichtende nachtwolken, voor de Westlandse kust. Foto genomen om 00:30 #noctilucentclouds pic.twitter.com/dW8gb6h6xA
— Jorne • (@Jorne_wswm) June 12, 2019
Dit zijn lichtende nachtwolken gezien vanuit Maassluis. Net geleerd van @govertschilling pic.twitter.com/pBoemgOGFs
— Linda Franken⭕ (@lin79) June 12, 2019
Vroomshoop, The Netherlands, 13th june 2019. 00:15 h #LichtendeNachtwolken #nachtwolken pic.twitter.com/ErirsdiOf5
— Marc van Straten (@Stratenvanm) June 13, 2019
Lichtende nachtwolken rond 1.00 uur nog goed te zien bij Kampen. pic.twitter.com/sQyg2wPXVw
— Freddy Schinkel (@freddyschinkel) June 12, 2019
Het eerste licht van 13.06.19 #lichtendenachtwolken #Bergentheim pic.twitter.com/Zc4o4lL3yC
— Gerard (@geraldotabe) June 12, 2019
Ook hier in Zeeland! #LichtendeNachtwolken pic.twitter.com/raiGF63un6
— Amanda (@amandavleerdam) June 12, 2019
#lichtendenachtwolken vanuit Rijnsburg richting noord. #nofilter pic.twitter.com/acGZzO9zad
— Michel 💙💙 (@neet1981) June 12, 2019
#LichtendeNachtwolken #Hoorn pic.twitter.com/yQpBqGnoXP
— Saar de Graaf (@saardegraaf) June 12, 2019