· ·

Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) return to the South Pole, make a very rare appearance over Argentina

noctilucent-clouds-return-north-pole-make-very-rare-appearance-over-argentina

Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) have returned to the South Pole and made a very rare appearance over Argentina more than one month after the beginning of the southern hemisphere season. 

Gerd Baumgarten of Germany's Leibniz-Institute of Atmospheric Physics, whose automated cameras caught NLCs rippling over the Rio Grande, Argentina (53.8S) on January 3, said it's very rare for NLCs to appear in Argentina.

What's more, NLCs in Argentina also appeared at even higher latitude – in Rio Gallegos at 51.5S.

At this time of year, noctilucent clouds are supposed to be confined to the Antarctic–not Argentina, Dr. Tony Philips of SpaceWeather.com said.

In the whole history of atmospheric research, NLCs have been sighted at mid-southern latitudes only a handful of times.

"Personally, I am thrilled to see NLCs in Argentina, as I had not expected them to occur so far north," says Natalie Kaifler of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), who operates a lidar (laser radar) alongside one of Baumgarten's cameras.

"This season has been unusual," Philips said. "The normal onset of NLCs over the South Pole has been delayed for more than a month as strange weather patterns played out above Antarctica. Now, suddenly, they're back, and showing up in unexpected places."

Featured image credit: Gerd Baumgarten

If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.

Share:


Your support makes a difference

Dear valued reader,

We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.

The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.

If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.

Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.

Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Teo Blašković

$5 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$50 /year

$10 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$100 /year

$25 /month

  • Ad-free account
  • Clean user interface and fast browsing
  • Direct communication with us via chat and email
  • Suggest new features, content and applications
  • Early access to new apps and features

$200 /year

You can also support us on Patreon

support us on patreon

or by sending us a one-off payment using PayPal:


Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *