Orange Lenticular Cloud over Snow-capped Mountain Peaks at Sunset, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile
© Ignacio Palacios/Stone/Getty Images
Saucer spotted?
Set those phasers back to stun, space cadets—false alarm. Turns out this 'mothership' caught on camera over southern Chile is just a very large lenticular cloud. Often said to look like alien spacecraft, these strangely shaped clouds may have contributed to early reports of UFO sightings. They form as directional winds hit obstacles like mountains or tall buildings, forcing air upward until it cools and its moisture condenses, then sinks back down to its previous level and evaporates. This cycle continues throughout the (usually quite short) life of the cloud, so while lenticulars appear stationary, they're actually in constant flux.
Sunset Orange Lenticular Clouds
Lighthouse at orange sunset over ocean, West Coast
Big Game Reserve Waterhole Sunset, Tree Reflections
Tre Cime di Lavaredo, snow, red sunset, Dolomites, Italy
Stonehenge Megalithic Monument Sunrise, Wiltshire, England
Henry Mountains Desert Badlands Sunset, Utah
Eroded badlands and mesa, purple pink sunset
Seagull, wet beach, pink purple sunset sky, ocean waves
