A Lenticular Cloud Over Hawaii

Credit: Credit & Copyright: Peter Michaud (Gemini Obs.); APOD, Posted on: Wednesday, 3 December 2003, 06:00 CST Download full size image

Can a cloud do that? Actually, pictured above are several clouds all stacked up into one striking lenticular cloud. Normally, air moves much more horizontally than it does vertically. Sometimes, however, such as when wind comes off of a mountain or a hill, relatively strong vertical oscillations take place as the air stabilizes. The dry air at the top of an oscillation may be quite stratified in moisture content, and hence forms clouds at each layer where the air saturates with moisture. The result can be a lenticular cloud with a strongly layered appearance. The above picture was taken last week near Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA.

More Images

Mars
North Polar Layered Deposits in Head Scarp of Chasma Boreale.This false-color subimage shows the north polar layered deposits at top and darker materials at bott...

---

Universe
Hubble's Festive View of a Grand Star-Forming Region.Just in time for the holidays: a Hubble Space Telescope picture postcard of hundreds of brilliant bl...

---