Night shining clouds from ISS

Astronaut Tim Peake of the European Space Agency photographed rare, high-altitude noctilucent or “nightshining” clouds from the International Space Station (ISS) on May 29, 2016.

Noctilucent clouds – glowing silver-blue – sometimes light up summer night skies. Astronauts can see them from orbit. Here on Earth, noctilucent clouds are seen at high latitudes – say, about 45 degrees N. or S. – from May through August in the Northern Hemisphere and from November through February in the Southern Hemisphere. In 2016, the northern noctilucent cloud season has already begun.

Find out more about this beautiful, seasonal phenomenon: The secrets of night-shining clouds

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