“Once in a Lifetime” Polar Stratospheric Clouds still going strong around the Arctic Circle

[Elderberry]

Electroverse by Cap Allon 1/1/2020

A spectacular display of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) that began two days ago is still going strong around the Arctic Circle, reports spaceweather.com.

The below photograph was shot by Per-Anders Gustavsson in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden on December 31, and reveals why some onlookers have mistaken the phenomenon for daytime auroras.

“The colors were amazing,” said Gustavsson, who drives a tour bus for Visit Abisko. “I’ve seen a lot of beautiful things during my years in the Arctic. This was easily one of the greatest displays I have ever seen.”

Polar stratospheric clouds are newsworthy because the stratosphere usually has no clouds at all. The stratosphere is arid and almost always transparent. Only when the temperature drops to a staggeringly cold -85C (-121F) can sparse water molecules assemble themselves into icy stratospheric clouds.

PSCs are far more rare than auroras, and they are even visible at night — as shown in the below photo taken by Fredrik Broms in Kvaløya, Norway on December 31.

More: https://electroverse.net/once-in-a-lifetime-polar-stratospheric-clouds-still-going-strong-around-the-arctic-circle/