Rainbow Clouds: Rare Occurrence Of Breathtaking Natural Phenomenon

THESE rare 'nacreous clouds' illuminate the sky like something from a science-fiction movie. Residents of Ambleside, West Yorkshire, were surprised to see a dazzling array of colours when they looked skyward yesterday. Shot by photographer Ashley Cooper, the clouds have been visible in various parts of the UK over the last few days - with many Brits mistaking them for the aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. However, the impressive light display was actually caused by a natural phenomenon known as cloud iridescence, which happens when tiny ice crystals or water droplets in the air cause the light from the sun to be scattered.

Videogpraher / director: Ashley Cooper
Producer: Nick Johnson
Editor: Ian Phillips