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“One of the most epic sights in the sky”: HUGE noctilucent cloud outbreak over Europe tonight – June 21st, 2019

“One of the most epic sights in the sky I have ever seen!!” was tonight’s noctilucent cloud display called by Jure Atanackov of Ljubljana, Slovenia – a veteran of meteor storms, total solar eclipses, great comets and auroral storms. Indeed, these sentiments were mirrored by thousands of skywatchers across Europe. Tonight’s noctilucent cloud outbreak may well have been *the* largest and widespread ever observed over Europe!

Even as far south as Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia, at 45°N, noctilucent clouds covered more than half the sky. This is by far the largest sky coverage ever recorded from these latitudes! See the first reports below – we will be updating these regularly!

If you missed this display, be alert for more in the early morning hours of June 22nd!!


Western Slovenia. Photo: Marko Korošec.


Budapest, Hungary. Photo: Norbert Sakradi.


Czech Republic. Photo: Šimon Rogl.


Aartselaar, Belgium. Photo: Fred Knoxx.


Umag, Croatia. Photo: Maja Kraljik.




Noctilucent clouds easily shone through the urban lights of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Photo: Peter Atanackov.



Friesland, the Netherlandsa. Photo: Coen de Lange‎.





Ipswich, UK. Photo: Carl Harlott.


Czech Republic. Photo: Lukáš Vobecký‎‎.


Königswinter, Germany. Photo: Thomsen Hillary‎‎‎.




Nic, Hungary. Photo: Máté Tihanyi‎‎‎.


Central Jutland, Denmark. Photo: Jakob Albøge‎‎‎.




South West, England. Photo: Richard Cliff.


Denmark. Photo: Vincent Bakker.


Alkmaar, the Netherlands. Photo: Petroula Dekker.


The Netherlands. Photo: Esther Boerma-Racké‎.


Sopot, Poland. Photo: Mateusz Rękas.


Denmark. Photo: Jose Rodriguez.


Barry, Wales, UK. Photo: Philip Dawson.