Image: @explorewithjoshua / Instagram
Doha, Qatar: Photos and videos shared on social media by Joshua Earle, an award-winning travel and landscape photographer based in Scotland, depicting a beautiful sight of rare 'rainbow clouds' over northern Scotland have gone viral.
Earle told The Peninsula via Instagram messaging that he had never seen 'rainbow clouds' as incredible as what he witnessed this week in his over 10 years of professional photography.
On his Instagram account, he posted four photos along with a caption: "Wild skies above the north of Scotland tonight. These rare ‘rainbow clouds’ have been making an appearance across the UK for the past couple of days. They are Nacreous clouds which form in -80C air with tiny ice crystals that refract the sunlight."
"Also known as the Mother of Pearl or Polar Stratospheric Clouds. It was like an oil spill in the sky! One of the most unique things in nature I’ve ever seen," he added.
Image: @explorewithjoshua / Instagram
Earle's followers marveled at the photos he shared, describing them as "amazing", "incredible", "magical", and "like a rainbow just painted across the sky."
One follower who also saw the stunning sky commented, "There was an incredible full view of them on my flight from Dublin to London. It was like flying through rainbow road!"
Image: @explorewithjoshua / Instagram
The UK's Met Department explains that Nacreous clouds are visible in the country when cold air from polar regions displaces normal conditions. These high-altitude Nacreous clouds are an exceptionally uncommon sight in the United Kingdom. Their vibrant colours, ranging from soft pastels to vibrant hues, become particularly mesmerizing when illuminated by the setting sun's rays.
