I spotted these gorgeous noctilucent clouds as I was heading for bed, so obviously I gave up the idea of sleep, and strode out with the camera.
Noctilucent clouds (also known as polar mesospheric clouds) are the highest clouds that can form in the Earth’s atmosphere. They are formed from ice crystals at an altitude of 80 to 85 km. They glow beautifully in the midsummer night sky in Scandinavia because the sun is not far below the horizon and they can still reflect its light. (Of course, you can only see them if the sky is otherwise clear and you are in a dark place.)
