Yesterday morning I looked out of my kitchen window early morning and saw a strange cloud. I wandered through the small conservatory to the door and took a photo with my phone. I was busy and gave it no more thought until a bit later when I realised I had just witnessed an unusual phenomena: a Nacreous ("mother of pearl") cloud. The irony is that my SLR with a far more suitable telephoto lens was on the table within easy reach had I realised what I was witnessing. C'est la vie. For all that it was a splendid sight.
It is indeed splendid!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jill. The more I look at it the more I realise how fortunate I was to see such a phenomenan.
ReplyDeleteA mother of pearl cloud...that is indeed a very lovely thing to see. Thanks very much for getting that photo and showing it to us! I have a book called "The Cloud Collector's Handbook". (My English mother-in-law had the same book and I loved it, so we got a copy also.) I will have to go and look up the mother of pearl cloud! I have never seen one before but I have on your blog!
ReplyDeleteThanks. Kay. I didn't do a write up on it because I though quite a few people might like to look it up. You are unlikely ever to see one in Georgia for many reasons.
DeleteI had read about it just recently but your photo shows what a wonder it really is.
ReplyDeleteYes, JayCee, I was surprised myself when I actually studied the photo.
DeleteWhat a stroke of luck to have looked out at that moment and also been able to photograph it. Magic.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rachel. It was pure luck - 5 minutes either way and I would have missed it.
DeleteThat's amazing, Graham! I am sure someone that saw that thought, "Alien spaceships are here!" It does look other-worldly!!
ReplyDeleteEllen, it does look very ethereal.
DeleteBeautiful! Funny, reading this I seemed to remember hearing that name for a cloud (but in Swedish) mentioned only the other day... Checked online and found several similar cloud photos from 2-3 days ago in Sweden too. (I suppose not quite coincidental, but related to similar armospheric conditions...)
ReplyDeleteYes, Monica, that is a coincidence but, as you say, there were very particular atmospheric circumstances and we are almost the same latitude - further south and seeing it would be less likely.
DeleteWow! That one is a beauty!
ReplyDeleteGood photo.
Rainbow clouds are the kind I see here in Vermont.
Yes, Maywyn, your atmosphere would never, I would have thought, be cold enough.
DeleteYou did well to get that, I don't think I've seen anything like it.
ReplyDeleteAmy, they are far more prevalent in the Northern Hemisphere.
DeleteI confess this is a new phenomenon to me, but it is singularly beautiful and I am glad that you shared your pictures, Graham,
ReplyDeleteThank you, David. You are considerably South of me and I am not sure whether they appear that far South.
DeleteNicely done. You have to be quick to get these photos as the clouds change quickly.
ReplyDeleteThat's beautiful. Maybe all clouds should be like that!
ReplyDeleteCro, I suppose if they were all like that we would be being awestruck at lenticular clouds instead.
DeleteIt's heart-tuggingly beautiful, Graham. I can see you turning this picture into one of your wonderful greeting cards.
ReplyDeleteMeike, thank you for that. I'm sure I will.
DeleteYou still managed a beautiful photo. What an unusual cloud to see :)
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed, Margaret. Thank you.
DeleteGorgeous - someone had this link to it - https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-64450253
ReplyDeleteBloglovin has not been working and I am missing blog posts - been catching up on your news - glad you made it to A and E :)
Thanks, Fiona. I missed it on the BBC so it was good to go and look at the photos they had shown.
DeleteIndeed one of the natural world's great and rare beauties. It is a bit like seeing a unicorn in a way.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, Tigger, especially as the Unicorn started to become the joint Scottish heraldic animal with the Lion after the joining of the crowns under James VI.
DeleteThe more I look at this the more it resembles a bird in flight. I wish I had seen it!
ReplyDeleteYes, David, it has the same mellifluous beauty as, in particular in my imagination, a kingfisher.
DeleteAbsolutely beautiful! How advantageous that you were there at your window at just that moment! My favorite cloud is the lenticular, which favors mountain terrain underneath.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous (Pauline?) I agree and I have taken more lenticular clouds which I first saw in New Zealand than any other particular ones.
DeleteNo, that wasn't me, Graham. Although it's a comfort to know I'm not the only one who goes Anon here. Mother of Pearl is the perfect name for that cloud. It's quite magnificent.
ReplyDeleteAh, Pauline, sorry got that one wrong then. No. there's a couple of Anons.
DeleteAs others have previously commented, Graham, you certainly were fortunate in being in the right place and at the right time for this sighting. I confess to being a bit envious and may never see a mother of pearl cloud myself based on my location in the US.
ReplyDeleteNo Beatrice unless you go to colder climes. Mind you it's the first I've seen in my not far of 8 decades.
DeleteThat is gorgeous! How amazing that you saw it AND managed to capture the image. Very cool. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Debby. It's a joy to share such beauty.
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ReplyDeleteIn case you are wondering, I accidentally posted a "thank you/you're welcome" comment here insteat of the proper place ... sorry.
DeleteJill, you're welcome. No need to apologise!
DeleteOh, you got to see "the cloud", how absolutely wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI had seen many mentions of the lovely rare spectacle being seen in the Highlands and north east but did not know views extended your side of the country as well.
Yes, Jayne, it was very visible over The Minch .
DeleteHow lovely! Thanks for sharing this pic!! <3 (sideways heart, not "less than three")
ReplyDeleteThank you, Marcheline.💛
DeleteBeautiful, indeed. Take good care, Graham. :)
ReplyDeleteWow how unusual and pretty. That's the good thing about phones they are always handy.
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