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Best pictures of ‘mother of pearl’ nacreous clouds spotted in Tayside and Fife

The rare phenomenon was visible at sunset on Tuesday

nacreous clouds
Image: Jenny Traill, Arbroath

A rare and beautiful phenomenon was visible in the skies over Tayside and Fife as the sun began to set on Tuesday.

Local residents were given a chance to witness nacreous clouds with many people asking what they were seeing.

Nacreous clouds are known for the coloured light they reflect before sunrise and after sunset.

The clouds are extremely rare as they only tend to form in very cold conditions, high in the atmosphere

They are often referred to as ‘mother of pearl’ clouds, due to their glistening colours, which are created from sunlight reflecting off ice crystals in the cloud.

‘Strange’ cloud shapes in the sky

Kirkcaldy-based amateur photographer Andy Lafferty, who captured several photos of the clouds said: ” I saw these strange cloud shapes in the sky so immediately grabbed my camera.

“It was about 4.15pm just after sunset  and I’d never seen anything like them before.

“They only lasted about 10 minutes if that and then it went overcast again and they disappeared completely.”

Here’s a selection of photographs of the clouds taken by Courier readers from across the area.

nacreous clouds
Image: Neil Rodwell, Arbroath
nacreous clouds
Bryndis Blackadder, St Andrews
nacreous clouds
Image: Brian McLaren, Leven
nacreous clouds
Image: Lynsey Mccd, Buckhaven
nacreous clouds
Image: Karen Smith, Crossgates
nacreous clouds
Image: Chris Waugh, Inverkeithing
nacreous clouds
Image: Danielle Bruce, Monifieth
nacreous clouds
Image: Pierre Bernard, Forfar
nacreous clouds
Image: Andy Lafferty, Kirkcaldy
nacreous clouds
Image: Gary Chalmers, St Andrews

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