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Space
Space
Science
Harry Baker

Satellite snaps eerily circular holes in the clouds above Florida. What caused them?

An overhead view of clouds with circular holes in them. the ocean and the edge of a landmass can be seen beneath them.

A cluster of eerily circular holes recently appeared in the clouds above Florida, a stunning new NASA image shows. The rare occurrence, which has previously (and incorrectly) been linked to UFOs, has a surprisingly simple explanation — but it took scientists more than 60 years to figure it out.  

NASA's Terra satellite photographed the bizarre voids, known as fallstreak holes or hole-punch clouds, above the Gulf of Mexico off Florida's west coast on Jan. 30. NASA's Earth Observatory revealed the striking image on Feb. 26.  

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