APOD: Iridescent Clouds over Thamserku (2014 Jul 08)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
Post Reply
User avatar
APOD Robot
Otto Posterman
Posts: 5345
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:27 am
Contact:

APOD: Iridescent Clouds over Thamserku (2014 Jul 08)

Post by APOD Robot » Tue Jul 08, 2014 4:05 am

Image Iridescent Clouds over Thamserku

Explanation: Why would a cloud appear to be different colors? A relatively rare phenomenon known as iridescent clouds can show unusual colors vividly or a whole spectrum of colors simultaneously. These clouds are formed of small water droplets of nearly uniform size. When the Sun is in the right position and mostly hidden by thick clouds, these thinner clouds significantly diffract sunlight in a nearly coherent manner, with different colors being deflected by different amounts. Therefore, different colors will come to the observer from slightly different directions. Many clouds start with uniform regions that could show iridescence but quickly become too thick, too mixed, or too far from the Sun to exhibit striking colors. The above iridescent cloud was photographed in 2009 from the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal, behind the 6,600-meter peak named Thamserku.

<< Previous APOD This Day in APOD Next APOD >>
[/b]

Boomer12k
:---[===] *
Posts: 2691
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:07 am

Re: APOD: Iridescent Clouds over Thamserku (2014 Jul 08)

Post by Boomer12k » Tue Jul 08, 2014 5:22 am

It is really neat....the "rumpled" areas of the clouds, look like a reflection of the mountains....

:---[===] *

revloren
Ensign
Posts: 47
Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2011 4:07 pm
Location: Agrestic Village

Re: APOD: Iridescent Clouds over Thamserku (2014 Jul 08)

Post by revloren » Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:47 am

It is pretty clear that the clouds are being affected by the mountain, specifically as the air passes over the peak creating eddies in a phenomenon known as mountain rotor.

starsurfer
Stellar Cartographer
Posts: 5306
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:25 pm

Re: APOD: Iridescent Clouds over Thamserku (2014 Jul 08)

Post by starsurfer » Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:38 pm

I want to stand on top of that mountain with my future soulmate!!!

Post Reply