Observers spotted UFO look-alike clouds in Hawaiian skies above the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes.
The images were captured on March 8 from the observation deck of the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is situated close to the top of Hawaii’s dormant volcano, Mauna Kea. The images show lenticular clouds, which are typically produced by strong winds blowing over and over difficult terrain, downwind of a hill or mountain.
“We spotted some UFOs today! Or rather, their doppelgangers. Check out these stunning photos several Keckies took of flying saucer-shaped lenticular clouds hovering near Maunakea and Mauna Loa.
Lenticular clouds get their name from their technical name, altocumulus standing lenticularus. They appear alien because they typically form in the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere, parallel to the direction of the wind.
These clouds are fairly common over the western half of the mainland due to the Rockies but relatively rare in Hawaii, according to the National Weather Service.
These strange looking clouds are sometimes mistaken for UFOs due to their smooth saucer-like shape. They originated close to Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea, which have peaks that rise above 13,000 feet (3,960 meters) due to the power of strong winds that must pass over and around them. In turn, this causes waves to form in the atmosphere just downstream of both summits.
The photos were taken by employees at the observatory, including Rick Krejci, software engineer; Sherry Yeh, staff astronomer; Avinash Surendran, postdoctoral fellow; and Arina Rostopchina, observing assistant.
