Noctilucent Clouds Over Dublin Bay

Early risers in Dublin were treated to a dazzling natural phenomenon this morning, as noctilucent clouds lit up the sky with their trademark electric-blue shimmer.

The ethereal display was caught in a timelapse video from Howth by Sryan Bruen Photography.

Noctilucent clouds—or “night-shining” clouds—form high in the mesosphere, around 80 km above Earth’s surface.

They are made up of ice crystals that condense on meteoric dust and are only visible during the summer months, when the sun dips just below the horizon but still illuminates the upper atmosphere. The result: ghostly, glowing wisps that ripple silently across the twilight sky.

This morning’s show began just before dawn, with the clouds appearing as silvery-blue streaks in the northern sky. Ideal viewing conditions—clear skies and the right solar angle.