Society Founder Gavin Pretor-Pinney recently gave a 10-minute talk about cloudspotting at the TED Global conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. I has now been put up on the TED website, and you can see it here:
Watch ‘Gavin Pretor-Pinney: Cloudy with a Chance of Joy’ on TED.com
Category: Attention All Cloudspotters
You can’t look around when you’re looking up, so we’ve had a look around for you.
If you have cloud news that you think we should include here, please email it to us at: hello@cloudappreciationsociety.org.
July 17, 2013
July 12, 2013
 Users of our CloudSpotter iPhone app earn Stars and Achievements as they correctly identify the clouds that they photograph. But as they compete with each other to edge their way up the CloudSpotter Rankings page, they will also be helping scientists at NASA better understand and model how the clouds affect the Earth’s climate.
We are excited to announce that NASA will be accessing the anonymous CloudSpotters data from around the world to fine-tune their state-of-the-art CERES cloud-observing satellite equipment. The instruments are central to scientists’ efforts to better predict how the Earth’s climate is likely to change over the decades to come because they will help us understand the complex role of clouds in determining ground temperatures. NASA will compare their satellite observations with the actual, verified, geo-tagged cloud observations by users of CloudSpotter, to see when their instruments are judging the clouds correctly. Of course, all the data we’ll make available to NASA is completely anonymous. One thing that we can all agree on about the future of the Earth’s climate is that the clouds are the big unknown. We have little idea whether warming average temperatures would result in more or less cloud cover. Nor do we know if a warming worlds would have an affect on the relative proportion of low clouds versus high clouds. It is a crucially important question since the low ones tend to have an overall cooling effect while the high ones tend to have a warming one. Clouds are considered the ‘wild cards’ in our attempts to accurately predict and model future temperatures. Whenever you have one of your cloud observations verified as correct by the CloudSpotter app, you will be helping scientists fine-tune the CERES cloud measurements, and so actively improving our ability to accurately model our future climate. More about the link between CloudSpotter and NASA…
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 CERES cloud-observing equipment aboard NASA’s Terra satellite.  The CloudSpotter iPhone app teaches you about the different clouds and awards you stars as you build up your collection of photographs, |
July 11, 2013
Cloud of the Month for July is radiating good vibes over Anchorage, Alaska.
See Cloud of the Month for July…
July 11, 2013
Cloud Appreciation Society member Michelle Arbon, is in the process of producing her next short film ‘Lunar Attraction’, and is running a competition for the best heart shaped cloud photograph. The winning cloud will be the design used in the film and the photographer will also win a whole host of goodies. For more information about the film, competitions and how to get involved please visit the competition page – the closing date for entries is 22nd July 2013.
June 27, 2013
Cloudspotter Chris Gathercole saw this artist’s project about using face recognition software to look at clouds.
Shinseungback Kimyonghun is a Seoul based tech art collective, focusing largely on computer vision. Their latest project, Cloud Face uses facial recognition to capture wisps and puffs of vapor that briefly converge to form the likeness of a human face.
It is remarkable work and you can read more about it You can read it here
June 7, 2013
Cloud Appreciation Society member, ‘H’ Brown sent us the link to this wonderful video showing a dynamic cloud column sculpture. Please take the time to view the whole video as it is pretty amazing!
May 14, 2013
Over the past year Clare Rose been collecting a sky diary, and using Facebook as a way of sharing these images with friends. Other people have joined in and it has been a great way to connect with people all over by looking at the same, but also very different sky.
Clare would love the chance to create a worldwide sky diary over the course of one day – June 21st, the solstice.
Over the course of the day, she is inviting people to capture three images of the sky. One in the morning, one in the afternoon and one again at evening/dusk – or night if people have the equipment and skills for night skies.
She is hoping to collect 1500 images of the sky from all over the world and from these images complete a series of paintings. She is not yet sure of the full scope of that, however you will be acknowledged in anything that comes of this endeavour. By submitting your photographs, you will be consenting for them to be used for any work, publication, artwork that might come of the event and all participants will be acknowledged.
So if you think you would like to be involved, or know someone who might be keen to participate, please sign up and spread the word.
Here is what to do:
1. Let Clare know you are going to take part – She needs at least 500 people to commit to this so invite your friends along. There’s an invitation on Facebook called fifteen hundred skies. Join!
www.facebook.com/events/499127830135320/?fref=ts
2. Set yourself a reminder to take photos on the 21st of June this year – in fact set three reminders, one for the morning, afternoon and again at dusk. It doesn’t have to be at the same time, people’s situations are all different, just choose three occasions over the day to take the time to look up and capture a sky. Just use your phone, don’t worry about having your camera. Whatever is convenient.
3. Take your images – it can include buildings, nature, anything – though the focus is the sky. It doesn’t have to be beautiful – it can be grey, misty whatever you are offered. It will change over the day!
4. Record three words to capture where you are at, what might be on your mind, how you feel, what the sky “says” to you, memories – just three words. It might seem completely random – that’s ok.
5. Record where you are – e.g. Oxford St, London, UK, paddock, Grass Valley, WA, Mount Cook, South Island, New Zealand and the approximate time. e.g. 2pm, mid afternoon.
5. Send your images through to fifteenhundredskies@yahoo.com along with your words and locations.
6. Watch this space. If Claire knows you are taking part, she can keep you involved in what happens with this project so please let her know.
Any questions/suggestions, please email Clare or post a message on the Facebook event page.
Only 6 weeks to go – spread the word, She needs your help to get this off the ground – literally- and start looking up!
April 26, 2013
As part of an arts festival called “Celebrating the Imagination“, Cloud Appreciation Society founder Gavin Pretor-Pinney will be giving a talk on cloudspotting at the Rook Lane Arts centre in Frome, Somerset, UK. The talk will be richly illustrated with images showing the different types of clouds and there will be questions and answers afterwards.
When: Thursday, May 2, 2013
Time: Doors open at 7pm. Talk starts at 7.30pm
Where: Rook Lane Arts, Rook Lane Chapel, Bath Street, Frome, Somerset BA11 1DN, UK
Cost: £8 (£6 concession) + booking fee
Book tickets: You can buy tickets from the Bath Box Office…
April 23, 2013
RSPB Old Moor and The Cloud Appreciation Society have joined forces to create a perfect day of cloud gazing with a slideshow, talks and a chance to just lay back, look at the sky, and relax.
Date: Sunday 19 May
Talks: at 11 am and 2pm given by the Cloud Appreciation Society Photo Gallery Editor, Ian Loxley.
Price: The event is free but the reserve entry fees apply: £4 adults, £2 children, £2.50 concessions.
Full details of the event can be found here
April 17, 2013
Norfolk and Norwich Festival are looking for enthusiastic cloud spotters to come and participate in an exciting installation taking place in Norwich city centre from the 11th to the 26th May.
We are currently inviting groups to come and hold different happenings, discussions, social encounters and events as part of ‘It’s all up in the Air’, by Irish artist Rhona Byrne. The piece consists of a series of large ‘black clouds’, which the public are invited to wonder through or sit underneath on carpet islands. The clouds are made from black modelling balloons, and play on the opposites of the playful, celebratory, light weight nature of the material and the tense twisted dark heavy mass of a storm cloud.
It would be great to have members of the Cloud Appreciation Society come and share their knowledge, experiences or even quirky facts so we can really make the most the space and this amazing project. We are up for all ideas and it would really be up to you about how you would like to run it – perhaps you would like to have an in-depth discussion about the science behind clouds, share images or stories, or just sit and chat. Our only request is that the public can join in and develop a greater understanding of what it’s all about!
If your group are based in Norfolk or the surrounding area and would be interested in hosting a meeting or discussion about cloud appreciation under the big black clouds, please contact Lizzie@nnfestival.org.uk for more information. For more info on the artist please visit her website
You can see the full details of this and other events at the festival here
April 6, 2013
It is a view over awe-inspiring castles of the atmosphere, photographed from the office window of an airline pilot…
See the Cloud of the Month for April…
March 28, 2013
Charlie Williams regularly performs children’s programmes in Seattle schools. One of the shows is a science presentation about clouds aimed at first graders and is called “The Loudest Cloud” which encourages the children to look at the different cloud personalities. He has very kindly offered to share this as a resource for our members and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
February 28, 2013
Helmut C Jacobs recently sent us details of a CD containing three “Cloud Poems” composed by the Swedish composer Bror Beckman (1866-1929).
“At the beginning of the 20th century the Swede Bror Beckman (1866-1923) and the German Sigfrid Karg-Elert (1877-1933)composed numerous works for harmonium which were inspired by the special sound and expressiveness of this instrument. The two composers of the late Romantic period were in contact and thought highly of each other. While Karg-Elert’s works for harmonium are available in numerous recordings, Beckman’s pieces have unfortunately been completely ignored so far. They are published for the first time on this CD”
To listen to samples of the music or to purchase the CD, please see their website here
February 12, 2013
A new research article has recently been published entitled Hailstones: A Window into the Microbial and Chemical Inventory of a Storm Cloud.
It explains how the research shows that clouds are alive, containing living organisms that are found in the water droplets and ice crystals. The full article is published here
February 5, 2013
Danièle Siebenhaar, member number 12650, was recently featured in the Zurich based newspaper Tagblatt. Danièle, 73, photographed clouds that look like angels, dogs and flying hearts and dreams of having her own gallery exhibition.
You can see more information here
February 4, 2013
It’s an aerial view of storm clouds forming a ‘squall line’.
Go to Cloud of the Month for February…
February 4, 2013
As part of the ‘Idle Sundays’ series of talks taking place in Selfridges through January and February, Cloud Appreciation Society founder Gavin Pretor-Pinney will be giving an illustrated talk on clouds and cloudspotting in the books department of the store. The talk is free to attend and there’s no need to book – just turn up. The Idle Sundays talks are put on by The Idler Academy. For more info please see the ‘Whats On’ section here.
The talk will take place on Sunday, 17th February 2013 from 1.00pm to 2.00pm.
January 22, 2013
Cloud Appreciation Society member Claire Halson, loves all thing clouds! In her spare time she makes all different designs of cloud and raindrop cushions and mobiles. You can see more of her work here
January 4, 2013
To start the New Year, we have selected a once-in-a-lifetime cloud spot of rare ‘halo phenomena’ over over Huntsville, Alabama, US, by Jane George…
See January’s Cloud of the Month…
December 6, 2012
Spain’s First International Conference of Cloudspotters took place at the end of October 2012 at the beautiful School Farm of Barreiros (Granxa Escola de Barreiros) in Galicia in the northwest of Spain. Organised by Germán Díaz (CAS Member 28232), Siña Fernández and Fernando Fuentes, the conference was attended by 80 cloudspotters from far and wide.
There was a great range of talks, including TV weather presenter and meteorologist Martín Barreiro explaining cloud formation, weather photography expert Elías Cueto on how to photograph the sky, anthropologist Luís Díaz Viana on the role of clouds in historical folk tales and contemporary urban legends, Marcos Alvarez Merinero from the European Space Agency on the observation of clouds from Space, and Elena Lapeña, Professor of Fine Arts at the University of Vigo, on the roles of clouds throughout the history of painting. Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of The Cloud Appreciation Society, couldn’t be there in person but this didn’t stop him from officially opening the event. He was beamed onto the screen via Skype to welcome the crowd and give a talk about the importance of cloudspotting, and why it is good for the soul.
Running over two days, the conference also included an evening concert by The Cardiophonic Method entitled ‘The heartbeat of clouds and other melodies’, and an exhibition of cloud art by Ignacio López. There were even rides in a balloon and a paratrike for those who wanted to do some close-up cloudspotting.
The conference was well covered in the Spanish newspapers (e.g. El Progreso, El Mundo, El Correo Gallego), radio and television (e.g. RTVE, Televisión de Galicia).
November 27, 2012
Society founder, Gavin Pretor-Pinney has donated a signed copy of The Cloudspotter’s Handbook and a Society calendar to The Intellegent Optimist who are aiming to raise $100,000 to support their new program of publications, events and courses designed to feature the ideas and thinkers that are moving the world in the direction of greater possibility in arenas like peace, sustainability, spiritual evolution and holistic health.
If you would like to enter a bid for this cause, please see their website
November 22, 2012
Carlos Bueno, owner of the hotel Aire de Bardenas in Spain has offered a special price to members of the Cloud Appreciation Society in the form of a 20% discount on all rooms.
The hotel is situated in the north of Spain, near the French border a 90 minute drive into the desert of Bardenas. It is a beautiful desert, the biggest in Europe and is a Natural Park and Biosphere Reserve. The northwest wind, The Cierzo, blows across the desert creating a diverse range of clouds.
You can visit the hotel website here. They also have a Facebook album with more than 80 images of the clouds as seen from the desert and their hotel here
November 13, 2012
Before We Begin © Christopher Jonassen
Artist Christopher Jonassen has done a series of photos of clouds and cloudspotters seeing them from each other’s point of view. You can see them here on his webiste.
November 5, 2012
Our new Cloud of the Month is a dramatic lenticularis cloudscape photographed by Jacob Krynauw over the Torres del Paine mountains in Chile.
See November’s Cloud of The Month…
November 2, 2012
Julia Austin recently sent us a link to this article by Carlos Miller of Photography is Not A Crime.
The next time you’re photographing clouds, make sure those clouds aren’t hovering over a location that’s considered “sensitive”. National Weather Service volunteer Michael Galindo learned this lesson last month after pulling over to the side of the road near Houston to snap a photo of storm clouds brewing in the distance (shown above). Problem was, between Galindo and the clouds sat the Lyondell Refinery.
Carlos Miller of Photography is Not A Crime reports that someone at the refinery spotted Galindo photographing the scene, and contacted the local police department.
By the time the summoned officers arrived, Galindo had already left the location… so the police called the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Imagine the look on Galindo’s face this past Friday, when the FBI arrived on his doorstep to question him about his activities. Luckily for Galindo — a 26-year-old man with a squeaky clean police record — FBI agent David Pileggi was satisfied with his explanation after a 20-minute questioning, and simply left with a warning to “be careful next time.”
You can see the original article here
October 17, 2012
We’re a little late this month, but here is October’s Cloud of The Month…
October 8, 2012
Society founder, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, will be giving an illustrated clouds talk this Thursday evening (11 October, 2012) in Richmond Upon Thames, Greater London, UK. ‘Taking to the Skies’ will work as a tour of the sky that will educate, entertain and enthral. Gavin will show you how to distinguish the different cloud formations, from the common Cumulus to the rare and fleeting Kelvin-Helmholtz wave cloud. He will explain why clouds have always been such an inspiration to poets and playwrights and he will argue that finding shapes in the clouds is the perfect antidote to the stresses of modern life.
Venue: Duke Street Church, Richmond, TW9 1DH
Date: Thursday 11 October 2012
Time: From 7pm
Ticket Price: £10
Book tickets from The Environment Trust for Richmond upon Thames
September 28, 2012
Asperatus over Fort Worth, Texas © Krista English
If you have spotted an example of this cloud, and you have a photograph with an accurate date, time and location we would love if you could email the image to us so that we can add it up to the society photo gallery. The more examples we have of this cloud formation, the stronger our case for the term being made official.
There is nothing new about the cloud formation itself, but we feel that it does warrant a new name, since it doesn’t easily fit within the existing terms. Our proposed name, ‘asperatus’, comes from the Latin word for ‘roughened’, because the cloud looks rather like a choppy, rough sea. The term is now in common usage, but it will only become official it it is included in the World Meteorological Organisation official cloud classification manual, The International Cloud Atlas. The last edition they published was back in 1975, but there are rumours that the UN organisation is considering the case for publishing a new edition. If this goes ahead, we will be lobbying for asperatus to be included. It would be the first new cloud term to be added to the classification system for 60 years.
> Read more about the asperatus cloud here…
> See examples of asperatus on the Society photo gallery here…
> See a piece about asperatus on The Weather Channel here…
> And if you think you might have photographed one, please email us your photo — and please try to include the most accurate date, time and location of the sighting that you can.
September 28, 2012
The weather channel recently did a report on the Asperatus cloud. You can see it here
September 21, 2012
We are now selling membership to The Cloud Appreciation Society through our Cloud Shop, rather than the separate system that we have been using for the past few years. This means that it is now possible to buy a membership in the shop at the same time as other items. Previously, you had to make two separate purchases. Which was a bit annoying.
Hopefully, everything is now working OK but you can contact us at membership@cloudappreciationsociety.org if you have any questions regarding joining the society.
September 14, 2012
For some time now, we have been wondering when the time would come that the Society appeared on Japanese daytime TV. Finally, it has happened. The only problem is that we have no idea what they are saying…
September 6, 2012
Our Cloudspotting Wall Calendar for 2013 features some of our favourite photographs of clouds that look like things taken by members of The Cloud Appreciation Society. There are clouds in the shape of animals, hearts, faces, flying saucers and much more, almost all of which starred in our recent book, Clouds That Look Like Things. It makes a beautiful gift for anyone with their head in the clouds, and we’ll even add in a hand-written gift message of your choice.
See the Cloudspotting Wall Calendar on our Cloud Shop…
September 5, 2012
Our beautiful new window sticker is the latest addition to the Cloud Shop. Now you can let the whole world know you are a cloudspotter! Or at least the person in the car behind you.
See the CAS window sticker here…
August 2, 2012
This month, we have chosen a display of mamma clouds over Poland. See August’s Cloud of the Month…
July 25, 2012
We are very excited to be heading over to Sligo in the northwest of Ireland this weekend for Ireland’s Second International Cloud Festival on the 27–29th July. The festival is organised by Hans Wieland and our friends at the Irish Cloud Appreciation Society.
The events, which are listed in the the festival programme, include an illustrated introduction to cloudspotting by Cloud Appreciation Society founder, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, cloud-inspired painting and poetry workshops and a talk by Gerry
Murphy, weather forecaster at the Irish meteorological office, Met Eireann.
Anyone interested in coming along can find out more on the Irish Cloud Appreciation Society site, read the festival programme and buy tickets here…
Here are a couple of Hans’s photos of Sligo clouds:
July 11, 2012
We are very pleased to announce that ‘The Weather Observer’s Handbook’ by Stephen Burt is published today. The handbook provides a comprehensive, practical and independent guide to all aspects of making weather observations. It is ideal for both amateur observers looking for help in choosing their first weather instruments on a tight budget and for professional observers looking for a comprehensive and up-to-date guide.
Stephen Burt has been a long-time member of the Cloud Appreciation Society, and has been generous enough to help us with meteorological advice for several of our own books. His is a comprehensive and rigororous guide to weather observing, that also happens to be an entertaining read, and will make a great addition to any cloudspotter’s bookshelf.
If you would like to buy a copy, you can do so from the bookseller links below. Alternatively, you can buy it directly from Cambridge University Press at a 20% discount: In the UK, download the 20% discount flyer and post it with a cheque; in the US, vist www.cambridge.org/us/9781107026810 and enter the discount code: E2BURT.
UK booksellers:
www.amazon.co.uk/Weather-Observers-Handbook-Stephen-Burt/dp/1107662281
http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/products/stephen+burt/the+weather+observer27s+handbook/8945909/
US booksellers:
http://www.amazon.com/Weather-Observers-Handbook-Stephen-Burt/dp/1107662281
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-weather-observers-handbook-stephen-burt/1109151482?ean=9781107026810
Australia and New Zealand (publication date September 2012):
http://www.cambridge.org/aus/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9781107026810
Cambridge University Press (linked worldwide sites):
http://www.cambridge.org/gb/knowledge/isbn/item6796421/?site_locale=en_GB
http://www.cambridge.org/aus/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9781107026810
July 10, 2012
Have you ever felt the need for a more substantial badge than the one you received when you became a member of The Cloud Appreciation Society? Ever felt the need for one that is a little more fancy, a little more showy to tell others of your membership to this most ethereal of societies? Then you will be pleased to hear that we are now selling beautiful new Enamel Member Badges in our Cloud Shop. New members will still get the standard badges when they join but, in due course, we will add an option for them to buy one of these fancy badges at the same time.
See our new Cloud Appreciation Society Enamel Membership Badge here…
July 5, 2012
Johnn Schroeder of Buffalo, Minnesota spotted this article entitled “Cloud House billows from anassuming Edwardian Home”.
Project architects McBridge Charles Ryan (MCR) have created a ‘cloud’ extension to the original property situated in the Fitzroy North suburb of Melbourne, Australia, which contains a kitchen, dining room and conservatory.
There are some very interesting pictures of both the inside and outside here.
July 2, 2012
This month, we’ve chosen a pleasing mixed sky over the Netherlands by Math Gossens. Click here to see the: Cloud of the Month for July.
June 29, 2012
We have decided to do battle with Amazon and all the other online booksellers, as we are now selling copies of all three of our cloud books on the Cloud Shop. The one difference we offer is that you can have the books signed by society founder, Gavin Pretor-Pinney. You can even have his sign it for someone else and include a message of your choice. This makes them the perfect gift for cloudspotters, young and old.
