Public domain
Earth Observations taken by Expedition 34 crewmember
From the collection of NASA Image and Video Library. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
ISS034-E-024622 (5 Jan. 2013) --- Polar mesospheric clouds over the South Pacific Ocean are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 34 crew member on the International Space Station. Polar mesospheric clouds—also known as noctilucent, or “night shining” clouds—are formed 76 to 85 kilometers above Earth’s surface near the mesosphere-thermosphere boundary of the atmosphere, a region known as the mesopause. At these altitudes, water vapor can freeze into clouds of ice crystals.
NASA Image and Video Library’s own descriptionSubjects
Credit lineEarth Observations taken by Expedition 34 crewmember. NASA/JSC, 2013-01-05. Public domain. ID: iss034e024622.
