The clouds were photographed from the WM Keck Observatory, located near the summit of a dormant volcano, Mauna Kea. The photos show lenticular clouds resembling flying saucers soaring across the sky.

Keck Observatory shared stunning photos. excitementwriting:

We saw a few UFOs today! More precisely, couples. Take a look at these stunning photos, taken by several Keck Observatory staff, capturing the lenticular clouds hovering near Maunakea and Mauna Loa. Did you see them too?

photos of lenticular clouds

what kind of clouds are these

Scientifically known as lenticular clouds altocumulus standing lenticularusIt usually occurs in the troposphere, the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, parallel to the direction of the wind. They usually form on the leeward side of a hill or mountain when strong winds blow in and around rough terrain.

Although lenticular clouds are quite common along the Rocky Mountains in the western part of the United States, they are relatively rare in Hawaii, according to the National Weather Service.

Near Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, unusual clouds form at an altitude of more than 3,960 meters due to strong winds blowing over and around the summits of the volcanoes, creating waves in the atmosphere downwind of both peaks.

The photos were taken by observatory staff, including Rick Krejci, a software engineer; Staff astronomer Sherry Yeh; by graduate student Avinash Surendran; and observation assistant Arina Rostopchyna.