Luminous night clouds illuminate the Brandenburg summer sky!
Luminous night clouds illuminate the Brandenburg summer sky!
If you take your gaze to sky these days at the right time, you might see: the magical shining night clouds. These fascinating natural phenomena, known as Noctilucent Clouds (NLC), are particularly evident on clear summer nights and offer a spectacle that is particularly impressive from the beginning of June to the end of July. In addition, they have become more common in recent years and are spreading further and more, even in southern regions, as numerous reports confirm. In Brandenburg, the most recently registered on June 24, 2025 via Falkenberg, which fascinated and enchanted the observers, how [maz-online.de] (https://www.maz-online.de/brandenburg/leuchtendende-nachtwolken-ueber-das-phaenomen-am-sommerhimmmer- fmxnea3qine5hpvr5jkvrp2ecy.html) reported.
But what exactly are these bright night clouds? They arise at heights of about 80 to 85 kilometers in the mesosphere, the coldest area of our earth's atmosphere. Where temperatures under –130 degrees Celsius rules, water vapor condenses on microscopic small ice crystals and forms these impressive clouds, which conjure up silvery-white or bluish shimmering veils in the right light. They become visible when the sun is more than 6 degrees below the horizon, but the highest atmospheric layers are still illuminated. Meteorologist Niklas wise that they arise when the sunlight is reflected on the underside of the clouds. These fibrous structures in the northwest to the northeast appear particularly frequently, usually between 10:30 p.m. and 3:30 a.m.
origins and influence of climate change
A reason for the more frequent sightings could be climate change. A study that has evaluated over 29 years of data sets shows a constant temperature drop in the mesosphere. The temperatures drop by 1 to 2 degrees per decade, and the layer shrinks by up to 200 meters per decade. This shrinking could be related to the increased cooling of the mesosphere, which also explains the increase in the shining night clouds. This could also have an impact on the weather conditions in the lower atmospheric layers, which carefully keep an eye on researchers. According to scinexx.de, research is far from complete in this area, and further analysis is planned.
Luminating night clouds could even serve as an early warning system for atmospheric changes, as the scientists show. But not only climate change plays a role; Local temperature anomalies and the presence of crystallization nuts - the origin of which remains unknown - are also crucial for the creation of these clouds. They often occur at altitudes, which are also crossed by shooting stars, and are therefore witnesses to the troubled and dynamic atmosphere. There are exciting interactions between different atmospheric layers that make the sky as fascinating as Wikipedia so well explained.tips for observation
For everyone who wants to marvel at this beauty in the evening or at dusk, there are a few tips: Find a quiet place with a clear view to the north, and keep an eye out between 10:30 p.m. and 3:30 a.m. A camera for documenting the natural spectacle is also recommended. With a little luck, you can watch and experience this unique spectacle of the bright night clouds yourself!
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| Ort | Falkenberg, Deutschland |
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