Noctilucent clouds, also known as night clouds, are seen above the capital Tallinn, Estonia, early Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
Skywatchers across northern Europe are once again reporting spectacular noctilucent cloud displays, with brilliant electric-blue formations illuminating the late-night sky as one of the season's celestial highlights. According to SpaceWeather.com, observers have been photographing the rare “night-shining” clouds across the region. The latest displays come as the annual noctilucent cloud season reaches its peak, when summertime water vapor rises into the mesosphere and freezes onto tiny particles of meteor dust at the edge of space. That meteor dust comes from the Perseid meteor shower, among other displays of “shooting stars” this summer.
The glowing displays mark the return of one of summer’s most beautiful and unusual astronomical phenomena. Here’s everything you need to know about noctilucent clouds — and when to see them from the northern U.S.
Noctilucent clouds, also known as night clouds, are seen above the capital Tallinn, Estonia, early Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)
What Are Noctilucent Clouds?
