Researchers from the Arctic Floating University based in the White Sea reported a day packed with rare atmospheric events. The updates came through the Russia’s news agency TASS, which cited its own correspondent aboard the research vessel Professor Molchanov.
The day unfolded with a dramatic sequence: rolling cloud formations, an ensuing Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, and the appearance of the Brocken spectre with a white rainbow and a gloria. Earlier that same day, observers noted a solar column and a Fata Morgana mirage, according to meteorologist Maxim Chervyakov from Saratov State University, who spoke with TASS within a 24 hour window. The full spectrum of unique meteorological phenomena was described as occurring in rapid succession.
Fata Morgana, a layered mirage that can reveal distant landscapes, reportedly emerged while researchers studied a local bird population. Eyewitnesses described the mirage as a secondary, forest-like strip resting above the horizon, seemingly hovering over real coniferous thickets along the distant shore. The Brocken spectre, another illusion, appeared as a shadowy figure forged by light within the mist. In typical scenarios, observers note this effect when the sun sits behind the observer while the view looks down toward the landscape below.
Researchers suggest that the region where these phenomena were recorded is unusually favorable for such optical events and may regularly host similar displays. The area has become a reference point for meteorological enthusiasts, with stable rolling cloud streets drawing visitors from Canada, the United States, and beyond who seek firsthand observation of these atmospheric marvels.
In an unrelated historical note, a discovery in Cordoba revealed an ancient Roman amphora bearing verses by the poet Virgil, highlighting a thread of cultural artifacts recovered from diverse corners of the Mediterranean world. The finding adds a contrasting reminder of how exploration yields both natural wonders and human heritage across different eras.