Noctilucent clouds over CBA Belgium Observatory

2004, Jul 07/08

I have seen noctilucent clounds from my observatory in Landen, Belgium on many occasions, but never as beautiful as on July 07th, 2004. The clouds were best visible around 21h20m UT, appearing in the North, up to an altitude of approx. 40 degrees, and were extremely clear. I was setting up my telescope and CCD for an observing campaign on a cataclysmic variable, at that moment.

By the time I had returned from the observatory, grabbed my digital camera and some batteries, it was about 21h50m UT, and much of the beauty was already over. I nevertheless made a number of images. One is reproduced below. By no means it represents what was visible about 30 minutes earlier. Around 22h05m UT, no more noctilucent clouds remained.


Noctilucent clouds on 2004, July 7 at 21h53m UT. Landen, Belgium.
Olympus C3030Z camera at 400 ISO


 

 
 

 

 

Copyright © 2004 - Tonny Vanmunster.