Pearl clouds dazzle northern skies with rare mother-of-pearl phenomenon

Bright and dazzling, waves radiating rainbow colors sweep across the northern skies of Sweden, displaying beautiful hues. Known as "nacreous clouds" or "mother-of-pearl clouds," these clouds are a very rare phenomenon.

Captured on Jan. 12, when the sun was located just below the horizon, the unforgettable appearance of the mother-of-pearl clouds was displayed. A type of polar stratospheric cloud, mother-of-pearl clouds are typically formed in the low stratosphere where temperatures plummet, resulting in the creation of ice crystals.

At an altitude of about 15 to 25 kilometers, sunlight still reaches the clouds, so even when the sun is not directly visible, it diffracts the light to reveal such splendid colors.