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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Stuart Clark

A chance to spot rare and mysterious noctilucent clouds

Noctilucent clouds over St Mary's lighthouse
Noctilucent clouds over St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, in July 2024. As the sky darkens, they shine with an electric blue colour. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

It’s time to watch for the beautiful cloud formations known as noctilucent clouds. Latin for “night shining”, noctilucent clouds are seasonal and become visible in the northern hemisphere from late spring/early summer.

Although unpredictable, when they do appear they will be seen in the western sky about half an hour after the sun sets. As the sky darkens into night, they will shine with an extraordinary electric blue colour.

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