Mitch Cronin Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 Ya gotta check out today's APOD! http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090824.html [Quote from today's APOD] Explanation: What causes these long, strange clouds? No one is sure. A rare type of cloud known as a Morning Glory cloud can stretch 1,000 kilometers long and occur at altitudes up to two kilometers high. Although similar roll clouds have been seen at specific places across the world, the ones over Burketown, Queensland Australia occur predictably every spring. Long, horizontal, circulating tubes of air might form when flowing, moist, cooling air encounters an inversion layer, an atmospheric layer where air temperature atypically increases with height. These tubes and surrounding air could cause dangerous turbulence for airplanes when clear. Morning Glory clouds can reportedly achieve an airspeed of 60 kilometers per hour over a surface with little discernible wind. Pictured above, photographer Mick Petroff photographed some Morning Glory clouds from his airplane near the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrlupin Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 How the heck did they get a Cessna to climb that high??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted August 24, 2009 Author Share Posted August 24, 2009 No doubt great patience would be required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavok Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 How the heck did they get a Cessna to climb that high??? The picture is deceiving. The caption indicates that the clouds occur up to 2 kilometres high which is less than 7,000 feet. No problem, even for a tired old Cessna. In impressive phenomena though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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