APOD: 2025 February 1 - Nacreous Clouds over Sweden

Good morning, Rallypoint, and welcome to this edition of Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) for February 1, 2025.

Also known as polar stratospheric clouds (PSC), nacreous clouds form in the usually dry stratosphere...about 9-15 miles up. While they can be seen in lower latitudes when the sun is just below the horizon, they are usually confined to the higher northern and southern (e.g. polar) latitudes. Their name comes from their mother-of-pearl hues due to reflected and diffractive sunlight, casting an otherwise warm glow over a cold landscape.