Asperitas Clouds Sunset
© Andrew Merry/Moment/Getty Images
Name that cloud
Cloudgazers seeking familiar shapes might have a tough time with these altocumulus clouds over Australia: They have characteristics of both stratiformis (streaky or wavy) and floccus (woolly or tufted) clouds. If all that Latin has you suspecting something science-y going on here, you'd be right: Just like flora and fauna, clouds can be taxonomized by genus and species. The altocumulus genus has five distinctly shaped species—castellanus, floccus, lenticularis, stratiformis, and volutus—appearing at a wide range of elevations from 6,500 to 20,000 feet.
Person silhouette on reflective water sunset
Mountain Peaks Golden Sunrise Mist
Orange Pink Blue Sky Beach Sunset
White Pylon Cable-Stayed Bridge
Wet sandy beach, cloud reflections, Isle of Rum, Scotland
Golden Autumn Arctic Mountains Conifer Forest
Wooden pier, cloud reflections, Lake Prespa
Red sandstone buttes, reservoir, dark clouds, sunset, Lake Powell
