Whilst on the December 2024 Arctic Norway Northern Lights cruise we were lucky to observe a rare phenomenon, polar stratospheric clouds. Also known as Nacreos clouds and Mother of Pearl clouds. They are formed high up.
We were north of the Arctic Circle, south of Tromso.
This first photo was taken at 10.15 am and apart from the sunlight, there are colours forming in the clouds.
The next photos show the prism effect developing, from 10.37 am.
Some of the crew braved the cold to take photos. Meanwhile other crew were trying to scrape ice from the deck.
The prism effect was still visible 90 min later.
That evening it snowed.
