September 2012
Italian Couture for Mountains
The cloud of the month for September was spotted by Sebastian Luciano Ferla over Monte Cofano in Sicily, Italy. Known as a ‘cap cloud’, it is the type that can sometimes be found floating jauntily over the top of a mountain peak. This cloud forms when a moist airstream has to rise to pass over the mountain. As it does so, the air expands and cools and, if the conditions are right, it can cool enough for some of its moisture to condense into tiny droplets, which collectivelly appear as a smooth dome of cloud.
There is an optical illusion at work in the appearance of a cap cloud like this. The cloud appears to hover motionless over the mountain peak even when the wind is brisk. In fact, the droplets of the cloud do zoom along with the wind. The reason the cloud seems stationary is because they all appear at the same point upwind of the mountain (where the air has cooled enough for them to form) and they all disappear at the same point in the lee of it (where the air dips back down and warms enough for them for evaporate away again). The cloud appears to be stationary as the droplets are flying through it. Only in the world of mountain cloud fashion, does a hat float magestically in place as a stiff wind whistles down the catwalk.
© Photograph Sebastian Luciano Ferla.
Jeannette Bisschoff
September 5, 2012 at 3:04 pmWell captured, Sebastion, and thanks for sharing your awsome little cloud. Certainly deserves cloud of the month!
anna lightowler
September 21, 2012 at 3:09 amgreat cloud!
Angela Bichard
September 21, 2012 at 6:12 pmI just want to say how happy I am to receive your news letter I love looking at the videos especially the Halesworth UK one. Thank you
stephen seymour clancy
September 21, 2012 at 8:38 pmBeautiful cloud against a perfect blue sky…pity we only a have horizon to horizon single grey cloud here in Orkney…we call it summertime.
John J. Smith
September 21, 2012 at 11:33 pmSpectacular – nature produces some of the most monumental images – thank you for being in the right place at the right time congratulations
Geraldine Stroud
September 22, 2012 at 7:55 pmThank you for the news letter and Sebastian’s cloud photo is great – thanks! Just tried to capture a cloud looking like a massive hawk- you’ve guessed I couldn’t find the camera in time!! Will have the camera to hand in future!
Geraldine Stroud
September 22, 2012 at 7:57 pmGreat to receive the newsletter
– thanks! Just tried to capture a cloud looking like a massive hawk- you’ve guessed I couldn’t find the camera in time!! Will have the camera to hand in future!
Norma Chalmers
September 23, 2012 at 3:21 amThs lovely cap cloud reminds me that I once watched a cloud being born as I gazed at a brilliant blue sky over Mt Kosciusko, Australia. The couple of pixels first then swiftly the pixels magically expanded to be a flying white toddler. ow did tha happen? It flew and disolved before I could grab the camera. Gratefully, I captured the sight in memory forever.
Sharman Whitehead
September 25, 2012 at 2:35 pmI loved the poem, it made me stop to think how beautiful the world is if we make time to look.
Lovely cap cloud.
N Riddick
September 25, 2012 at 7:38 pmWhy are some people so driven to prove what morons they are? Is this website about clouds or sexual fetishes?
Merle L. Smith
September 30, 2012 at 2:41 pmGreat photo, it reminds me of a cloud I once saw above Table Mountain in South Africa.
Nicola Read
February 2, 2013 at 4:28 pmLove this pic. Shame there isnt a facebook “like” button to add it to my timeline, its so lovely!
radiometeolibera tv
March 8, 2013 at 9:41 pmcomplimenti
alessandro barbolini
March 8, 2013 at 9:41 pmsiete un vero museo delle nuvole thank you
Shane yaw
May 22, 2013 at 11:37 ami live there