Noctilucent Clouds and other upper atmospheric phenomema. Airborne Observations.(c) Brian Whittaker 2005

Noctilucent Clouds

Your best source for Airborne Observation Photographs.

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Noctilucent Clouds are extremely high altitude seasonal clouds over the polar regions of Earth. They are very thin, like Cirrus Clouds, but are so faint that they are never visible in the day. At an altitude of approximately 50 miles, they can become visible long after the sun has set since they are still in bright direct sunlight and the sky locally has dimmed sufficiently enough. They are called "Noctilucent" because they shine a bluish-white while it is dark with stars visible above. From the northern hemisphere they are only visible between late May and early August of every year. Ideally, you should also be north of about 50'N latitude.

My interest in Noctilucent Clouds began by 1980, but it wasn't for almost 20 years before I finally saw one. The illusive Noctilucent Clouds are there. Now I see several every year and hope to document all observations on these pages. These pages will expand with time as I refine my observation data. To get a GREAT picture you need: 1) an uncommonly great display, 2) clear non-hazy skies down to the horizon, 3) an area with an unobstructed visible northern horizon, 4) a night capable camera with tripod, 5) and be awake. If observing Noctilucent Clouds can be illusive, then a you can appreciate that obtaining a great picture is even more so. I had to wait until July 1st, 2003 to get my first GOOD photos. Incidentally, Digital Cameras take great NLC images! Even small pocket Digitals on automatic (preferably manually focussed to infinity) will be impressive for a bright display.

Attention AOL users. These images have very subtle shading and fine details. Internet browsers connecting though AOL may suffer degraded image quality due to their automated further compression to images prior to downloading, without your knowledge. Images that appear with the ".art" extensions have been considerably reduced in image quality. The only way for you to see the original full ".jpg" image is to go now to your AOL toolbar and select "My AOL"-"Preferences"-"Internet Properties WWW"-"Web Graphics"-select "never compress graphics"-remember to "apply", then later you can return and allow compression again. More?

Useful links



The Noctilucent Cloud Observers' Homepage <== Amateur Observing
NASA "Strange Clouds" <== NASA info
The Space Shuttle Columbia's last flight formed NLC over Antarctica <== Recent News Do It Yourself... EXPERIMENT 2006 (July 1 to 19?): Will the next Shuttle launch increase NLC activity???
NASA Earth Observatory "Space Shuttle contributions?" <== Sputnik was 1957
Note: First observed 1885. Continuous observation records exist from 1962
British Antarctic Survey Press Release -Temperatures aloft <== southern NLC
SpaceWeather.com (Interesting daily update) <== NLC sub page
(Official Site) <== New satellite AIM ==> (BBC story)
BrianWhittaker.com NLC Airborne! (this site's home page) <== Airborne photo source


The above sites are kept up to date and have excellent content and links.

Download free "Noctilucent Computer" on MS Excel Spreadsheet. May be useful for certain calculations (play). 45 Kb. DOWNLOAD.

This site is still being refined and added to. 1998 / 1999 / 2000 / 2001 / 2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005 / 2006 <== Recent Images

2006

Observation: 1 Ground (terrible) / 2 Air (poor) / 3 Air (good)

2006 #1
	Noctilucent Clouds: 9 June 2006. 2245-2250 GMT. Ground Observation from near Solihull, West Midlands, UK. (N52, W001). One small patch about 10 degrees wide by 5 degrees high. Camera: Olympus c70zoom pocket digital. Images approximately 1 to 2 seconds on automatic. MORE-c70zoom Note: Due to poor horizon haze and city lights, this faint display was almost impossible to see with the unaided eye. Digital enhancement was required to achieve these poor images. It was a reminder that 52 degrees North is, by most accounts, too far south for many observations. Obviously, if airborne at 35,000 feet above this location, the images may have been quit spectacular. (When you are airborne, the Earth's limb horizon can be around 3 degrees below level, as apposed to a ground based haze horizon which can be easily 10 degrees above level.)
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2006 #2
	Noctilucent Clouds: 28 June 2006. 0725-0745 GMT. Airborne Observation from 35,000 feet over North East Ontario, Canada. (N49, W080). Poor faint patch spreading no more than 40 degrees across and max 10 degrees high. Camera: Olympus c70zoom pocket digital. Images approximately 1 to 2 seconds on automatic. MORE-c70zoom Note: Difficult to notice without knowledgeably looking for it. We were too far south to see it before we did, then dawn quickly washed it out once we were far enough north to see it. Digital enhancement was required to achieve these weak images.
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2006 #3



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	Noctilucent Clouds: 3 July 2006. 0455-0545 GMT. Airborne Observation from 36,000 feet over the north-western Atlantic Ocean, just east of Newfoundland, Canada. Quite a pleasant display lasting almost an hour. It started as we flew north enough for the cloud to become visible, then faded with the approach of sunrise. Venus rose below a weak, but visible, patch of NLC. Camera: Olympus c70zoom pocket digital. Images approximately 1 to 8 seconds on automatic. MORE-c70zoom
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2005

Observation: 1 Ground (confusing, possibly not) / 2 Air (great) / 3 Ground (faint) / 4 Air (faint)

5 Air (faint) / 6 Air (good) / 7 Air (faint) / 8 Ground (faint) / 9 Air (terrible) / 10 Air (ok)

2005 #1
	Possible ?Noctilucent Clouds: 20 June 2005. 1041-1046 GMT. (local early morning) Ground Observation from Victoria, BC, Canada. (N48,W123). Quite faint and diffuse (possible) display observed later in bright twilight when it was difficult to distinguish from brightening cirrus. Sadly, I was too tired and gave up on observations. Note that the moon was not up and so twilight was the only source of illumination. Also, note the "dark" un-illuminated cirrus in both the lower left and right of the image. I must admit that it is easier detecting and verifying these clouds from 35,000 feet while travelling 500 miles per hour. Bright NLC on a dark horizon are unmistakeable, but displays overhead in bright twilight with Cirrus Clouds are proving challenging. Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. Most images approximately 2 seconds. MORE Note: I am not quite sure if this was an NLC display or not, I must be honest. I was very tired and, unlike usual, couldn't decide. Although I originally decided that it wasn't, upon a clearer head after some sleep and analysis of the photos, I have decide that it probably was. It does seem to be harder at times from the ground if the display is a diffuse faint one. Obviously from the air, while above the cloud travelling 1000 km/hr, it is quite easy to tell.
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2005 #2


(Animation primarily shows our own movement at 500 miles per hour.)
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	Noctilucent Clouds: 21 June 2005. 0430-0621 GMT. Airborne Observation from 35,000 feet over central Manitoba and Hudson Bay in Canada. Quite a bright and prominent display lasting almost two hours. (from N54/W100 travelling eastward to N60/W078) Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. Most images approximately 2 seconds. MORE Note: An excellent bright display. This kind of display would be easy for anybody with any digital camera to take great shots!
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2005 #3
	Noctilucent Clouds: 22 June 2005. 2146-2302 GMT. Ground Observation from near Solihull, West Midlands, UK. (N52, W001). One small patch about 10 degrees wide by 10 degrees high. Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. Most images approximately 2 seconds. MORE Note: Due to faintness, display was too dim to see previous because twilight was too bright. After being visible for about two hours, it slowly faded into the darkness.
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2005 #4
	Noctilucent Clouds: 26 June 2005. 04:30-0530 GMT. Airborne observation from 35,000 feet from over Hudson Bay and the northern tip of Quebec, Canada. Although the display lasted for about an hour, it was always very dim. and difficult to photograph. These images here are my best and have been digitally enhanced. Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. Most images approximately 2 seconds. MORE Note: Moon is rising in lower right corner of wider image.
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2005 #5
	Noctilucent Clouds: 4 July 2005. 0600-0630 GMT. Airborne observation from 35,000 feet from over Northern Ontario. Another very poor display. It was always very dim small patches and difficult to photograph. These images here are my best and have been digitally enhanced. Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. MORE Note: Small NLC just above rising moon.
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2005 #6

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	Noctilucent Clouds: 12 July 2005. 2010-2255 GMT. Airborne Observation from 33,000 feet over western Asia. Quite a bright and prominent display on the northern horizon lasting over two hours. Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. And Olympus c70zoom. And Canon MVX30i. Most images approximately 2 seconds. MORE-c5050 MORE-c70zoom MORE-MVX30i Note: A difficult display to photograph. Although, in contrast, it was quite bright to the eye. Photographically it was rather dim, and far enough away to need a zoom. This was compounded by slight turbulence and movement of the aircraft, making time exposures rather unsteady.
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2005 #7
	Noctilucent Clouds: 15 July 2005.1855-2015 GMT. Airborne Observation from 28,000 and later 35,000 feet over eastern Asia. Quite a dim and difficult display with constant light turbulence. Continuous cloud cover underneath prevented any good views beyond the horizon until after the clouds washed-out with dawn. Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. MORE Note: A difficult display to photograph. Although, in contrast, it was quite bright to the eye. Photographically it was rather dim, and far enough away to need a zoom. This was compounded by slight turbulence and movement of the aircraft, making time exposures rather unsteady.
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2005 #8
	Noctilucent Clouds: 17 July 2005. 2235-2248 GMT. Ground Observation from near Solihull, West Midlands, UK. (N52, W001) looking due north. One small patch about in the haze and Birmingham light pollution. Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. Most images approximately 2 seconds. MORE Note: These were obviously taken out of a bedroom window. Poor display for me due to poor horizon, haze, and the fact that I wanted to stay in bed. It would have been a great display for anybody up north near Scotland, unless it was cloudy, for it would have been much higher in the sky.
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2005 #9
	Noctilucent Clouds: 22 July 2005.0536-0555 GMT. Airborne Observation from 36,000 feet over the northwest Atlantic Ocean, off Newfoundland. Faint display with turbulence was hard to photograph. Coming up from the south with a cloudy horizon meant I wasn't far enough north to see the clouds until the sunrise was already washing out the faint detail. Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. MORE Note: A difficult display to photograph. Although, in contrast, it was quite bright to the eye. Photographically it was rather dim, and far enough away to need a zoom. This was compounded by slight turbulence and movement of the aircraft, making time exposures rather unsteady.
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2005 #10



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	Noctilucent Clouds: 8 Aug 2005. 0635-0743 GMT. Airborne Observation from 35,000 feet over Hudson Bay, central Canada. Quite a bright and prominent display on the illuminated northern horizon lasting over an hour, contrast fading until it vanished completely about 10 minutes before sunrise. Remember, they are very faint when they finally vanish. Also note that from this altitude, the sunrises from about 3 degrees below the traditional level horizon. Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. Most images approximately 2 seconds. MORE
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2004

Observation: 1 Air (great) / 2 Air (worst ever) / 3 Air (great) / 4 Ground (almost missed)

2004 #1


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(Many wonderful photographs today in great conditions.)

Noctilucent Clouds: 15 June 2004. 0145-0330 GMT. Airborne Observation from 37,000 feet over North Atlantic Ocean. Quite a bright and prominent display lasting all night. (from N52.5 W046 travelling eastward over 1hr 45 min to N56 W024)

Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. Most images approximately 2 seconds. MORE

Note: Quite rare images of bright Noctilucent clouds behind a close-up of an Airbus A-330 on its way between New York and Ireland. Time exposure shows some motion of jet.

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2004 #2
	(Worst display ever. Only mentioned for science.) Noctilucent Clouds: 26 June 2004. 0536-0543 GMT. Airborne Observation from 35,000 feet near Newfoundland Island, Canada. A very poor faint and quick display, just above the horizon, lasting only minutes. ( N50 W055) Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. MORE Note: Absolutely terrible display. Almost impossible to see and lasting under approximately 10 minutes. Sometimes your own eye, processed by your own brain with a pair of binoculars, is your best NLC tool.
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2004 #3


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	(Many wonderful photographs today in great conditions.) Noctilucent Clouds: 4 July 2004. 0550-0715 GMT. Airborne Observation from 34,000 feet and 35,000 feet over northern Canada. Between Lynn Lake Manitoba to Churchill to north central Hudson Bay. Quite a bright and prominent display lasting all night. (from N57 W101 travelling eastward over 1hr 25 min to N63 W080). The display was stopped only by the illumination of sunrise. The display was witnessed by others starting at 0510 GMT at N53 W107 and gradually increasing until my opportunity.) Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. Most images approximately 1 seconds. MORE Note: Quite rare images of Noctilucent clouds clearly visible to the south, away from the sun! Also some easily visible clouds just near sunrise. The brightest NLC were technically visible at sun-up, before rapidly completely disappearing. This also allowed a nice photo of the arctic ice packs below clearly visible NLC.
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2004 #4
	(This display was almost missed completely. I thought I saw something from the bedroom window while half asleep at 1:10 AM local time. I decided that I hadn't, obviously due to the glare from the street light! It wasn't until weeks later , when I processed the image, that I saw my forgotten, missed NLC.) Noctilucent Clouds: 10 July 2004. 0010 GMT. Ground Observation from near Birmingham, UK. ( N52 W001) Camera: Olympus c5050. Digital 5.0 Mega pixels. f1.8/3xOptical. MORE Note: A good example of how a street light can almost rob you of an observation.
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2003

Observation: 1 Air (poor) / 2 Air (very poor) / 3 Ground (small) / 4 Air (great) / 5 Air (very poor)


2003 #1
	Noctilucent Clouds: Tuesday 10 June 2003. 0135 GMT. North Atlantic Ocean (N52 W044) from 36,000 ft. Notes: Looking approximately North during the perpetual twilight of summer. Distant and dim display was difficult to photograph. Subtle turbulence causing camera motion removed photographic definition. Standard jpg compression used. Unable to photograph one complex cloud in distance. Duration 0125z-0230z. Max.350-020True. Max.5'Up. Type IIa, IV. Max bright 2. Position moving east between N51.5 W046 and N53 W030 at 36,000 feet Camera: Olympus c40zoom. Digital 4.0 Mega pixels. Auto Night mode using 2.8x zoom function on tripod. MORE
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2003 #2
	Noctilucent Clouds: Tuesday June 24, 2003. 0240 GMT. South-east France. (N44.5 E006) from 38,000 ft. Notes: Looking approximately North during the early dawn hours of French summer. Distant and very dim display was rising from the north as we travelled north. Subtle turbulence causing camera motion removed photographic definition. Standard jpg compression used. Clearly, if we had been one hour earlier, I suspect that this would have been a good display. Coming from the far south, dawn was too bright by the time we got north enough within sight of the cloud. Duration 0230z-0250z. Max.350-355True. Max.5'Up. Type IIa. Max bright 1-2. Position moving north between N44 and N45 at E006 at 38,000 ft. Camera: Olympus c40zoom. Digital 4.0 Mega pixels. Auto Night mode using 2.8x optical zoom function on tripod. MORE
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2003 #3
	Noctilucent Clouds: Wednesday June 25, 2002. 22:20 GMT (23:201 local BST). Birmingham, United Kingdom. Notes: Looking northwest between fast moving lower clouds illuminated by city lights. Dim display was soon obliterated by cloud after photos taken. Mosaic of two side by side images with only minor digital enhancement. Reduced to 600 px width using standard jpg compression. Obviously, the vertical reddish mark on photo is an internal reflection from a nearby street light. Camera: Olympus c40zoom. Digital 4.0 Mega pixels. Auto Night mode using 2.8x optical zoom function on tripod. MORE
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2003 #4
	(Many wonderful photographs today, my first NLC photographic victory.) Noctilucent Clouds: Tuesday 1 July 2003. 0150-0430 GMT. Western Atlantic Ocean approximately N53. (2:40 Hrs of continuous NLC. Newfoundland to mid-Atlantic) Notes: Looking approximately North during the perpetual twilight of summer. Distant and dim display became visible during mid-dusk and continued to get brighter and higher as we moved slightly north. Numerous bright clouds passed as we travelled east while inching north. As the northern twilight band gained in height towards dawn, it became apparent that NLC were all around us and even overhead. As usual, subtle turbulence causing camera motion removed photographic definition at times. Standard jpg compression used. As the display grew in size, the lower zoom power required made photography easier. Low power, minimizing aircraft motion and maximizing camera lens brightness, allowed for truly crisp photos filled with detail. Duration 0150z-0430z. Max.290-110True. Max.90+'Up. Type IIa,IIb,IIIa,IIIb,IV. Max bright 4. Position moving east between N48 W059 (west Newfoundland Island) and N55 W026 (mid Atlantic) at 38,000 ft. Observation ended only because of day break. Camera: Olympus c40zoom. Digital 4.0 Mega pixels. Auto Night (removes noise) mode using regular 1x to 2.8x optical zoom function on tripod. Manual override -1 to +1 f-stop for greater detail. MORE Video: Panasonic NV-DS1B (early) digital video camera. Max gain automatic and digital gain up to lesser gain due increased brightness of late display. Resolution 360x270 px. Hand held.
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BIG FILE. BROADBAND ONLY!!! 8 sec. 30.1Mb Uncompressed for detail.

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2003 #5
	Noctilucent Clouds: 12 July 2003. 1810-1825 GMT. Airborne Observation from 33,000 feet over southeast Bulgarian Black Sea. Low and faint. (N42.5 E029) Camera: Olympus c40zoom. Digital 4.0 Mega pixels. Auto Night (removes noise) mode using regular 1x to 2.8x optical zoom function on tripod. Manual override -1 to +1 f-stop for greater detail. MORE
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2002






2002 #1
	Noctilucent Clouds: June 29, 2002. 0335 GMT. Approximately local midnight of June 28th. Airborne Observation from 39,000 feet over North Atlantic Ocean just NE of Newfoundland Island, Canada. Notes: Looking approximately North during the perpetual twilight of summer. Collage of three separate images taken approximately at the same time. Insets are enlargements of areas in the lower wider image. Minor digital enhancement. Reduced to 1146 x 625 using standard jpg compression. Smaller 600x327 is for downloading convenience. Camera: Olympus c40zoom. Digital 4.0 Mega pixels. Auto Night mode. Main image normal 1x wide angle, with insets taken at 2.8x zoom. Camera stabilized. MORE
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2002 #2
	Noctilucent Clouds: July 9, 2002. 2241 GMT (23:41 local BST). Birmingham, United Kingdom. Notes: Looking north through lower clouds illuminated by city lights. Very bright, but hidden display quickly faded after photos taken. Mosaic of two side by side images with only minor digital enhancement. Reduced to 1146 x 428 using standard jpg compression. Smaller 600x224 is for downloading convenience. Camera: Olympus c40zoom. Digital 4.0 Mega pixels. Auto Night mode using 2.8x zoom function on tripod. MORE
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2001

under development

2001 #1
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 24 June 2001. 2300-2315 GMT. Ground based Observation at Solihull, England. (N52 W002)


2001 #2
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 27 June 2001. 2200-2310 GMT. Ground based Observation at Solihull, England. (N52 W002) 090)

2000

under development

2000 #1
Video	Noctilucent Clouds: 20 June 2000. 0200-0430 GMT. Airborne Observation from North Atlantic Ocean.
2000 #2
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 02 July 2000. 0305-0330 GMT. Airborne Observation from North Atlantic Ocean. (N52 W030-W026)
2000 #3
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 10 July 2000. 0220-0335 GMT. Airborne Observation from 39,000 feet over North Atlantic Ocean. (N52-N53 W040-W022)
2000 #4
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 13 July 2000. 2100-2136 GMT. Airborne Observation from central Germany. (N50.5-N49 E006-E013)
2000 #5
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 22 July 2000. 0210-0225 GMT. Airborne Observation from 38,000 feet over North Atlantic Ocean. (N52 W030-W027)

1999

under development

1999 #1
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 28-29 June 1999. 0600-0700 GMT. Airborne Observation from 33,000 feet from mid-Baltic Sea. (N56 E020+/-)
1999 #2
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 19 July 1999. 0335-0350 GMT. Airborne Observation from 36,000 feet just west of Ireland. (N52 W018)
1999 #3
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 25 July 1999. 0420-0530 GMT. Airborne Observation with Sun still just above the horizon from 37,000 feet over northern Canada. (N65-N68 W086-W060)
1999 #4
SMALL FILE. (Compressed) 18 sec clip 455Kb. (VERY POOR quality)	Noctilucent Clouds: 30 July 1999. 0600-0700 GMT. Airborne Observation with Aurora from 37,000 feet over central northern Canada. (N57-N62 W104-W090) Video: Panasonic NV-DS1B (early) digital video camera. Max gain automatic. Resolution 360x270 px. Hand held.

1998

1998 #1
	Noctilucent Clouds: Saturday June 13, 1998. 21:37 GMT. Airborne Observation from 35,000 feet over southern France. (N43 E000). Although image may appear unspectacular, this single bright display was very exciting to observe and hooked me as an enthusiast. Notes: Bright display. Photo is a video composite. Movies show how it really "looked". BIG MOVIE is similar to small movie, just with more detail. compression. Camera: Panasonic NV-DS1B (early) digital video camera. Several video images have been connected to produce a composite image. Max gain automatic. Resolution 360x270 px. Hand held. Video: Panasonic NV-DS1B (early) digital video camera. Max gain automatic. Resolution 360x270 px. Hand held.
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BIG FILE. BROADBAND ONLY!!! 5 sec. 21.0Mb Uncompressed for detail.

SMALL FILE. (Compressed) 12 sec clip 374Kb. (poor detail)

1997

1997 #1
X	Noctilucent Clouds: 29 July 1997. 2245-2330 GMT. Poor first sighting through binoculars. No photographs. Aldergrove Airport, Belfast, North Ireland. (N44 W006)

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