On June 9, 2013 Alan Dyer of Gleichen, Alberta, Canada went outside to see the colors of the sunset. He got more than he bargained for. Stacked atop the rosy glow of twilight colors were dual bands of electric-blue noctilucent clouds (NLCs) and green auroras. The two phenomena overlapped for a rare display, though they are not related.
Auroras are caused by energetic particles from the sun raining down on Earth’s upper atmosphere, causing the air to glow like the picture tube of a color TV.
Noctilucent clouds are made of tiny ice crystals wrapped around bits of meteor smoke. Their electric-blue color comes from the scattering of high altitude sunlight.
The 2013 NLC season started in the northern hemisphere a week earlier than any other season that AIM has observed since its launch in 2007. This years first glimpse of NLCs by AIM was on May 13, 2013.
View associate news item at https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/aim-mission-extended/