NLC Clouds in Central Europe

In this summer evening of the World Heritage Site of Hortobagy National Park in Hungary (also a Dark Sky Park), the first stars emerge from twilight above an iconic traditional T-shaped sweep well. But there is something more to see. Move the slider on the image to realize.

From the photographer: “This image was taken about 1.5 hour after sunset when NLC appeared among other clouds. NLC is very rare in mid-latitudes like here. You can also recognize Cassiopeia and Polaris in the single exposure image.”

Noctilucent Clouds (NLC) are so high that still reflect the sunshine well after sunset. These night-shining clouds lie near the edge of space, about 80 kilometers above Earth’s surface. They are usually spotted above the Polar Regions in summer but on occasion become visible from lower latitudes too.