The clouds were spotted on Jan. 17, and the photos were taken over the course of 16 minutes, the space agency said in a news release. The clouds, known as noctilucent or twilight clouds, contain ...

The clouds are most prevalent in the polar regions at the North and South Poles. When they do appear on the West Coast, which isn't often, they more commonly form in the Pacific Northwest.

These strange noctilucent clouds thrill skywatchers throughout the summer months. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works ...

Nacreous clouds form over polar regions in our lower stratosphere between 68,500 and 100,000 feet (13 and 19 miles or 20 and 30 kilometers) according to the UK Met Office.

Thus, any additional clouds that form due to man-made substances such as microplastics could have an impact on the weather and climate of the Earth. "Its likely that microplastics in clouds may ...