When I first got here I was able to experience one of the natural phenomena that Antarctica has... nacreous clouds. They are only really seen close to or in the polar regions, the arctic and antarctic. They are rare and you are able to see them around 2 hours (or more if you live down here, the sun sets really slow) before sunset or sunrise. They show wind currents and are about 9-16 miles up in the stratosphere.

What you might be able to see in the rest of the world are the iridescent clouds that have a similar effect but they are more common and they can be seen around the sun sometimes. Iridescent clouds are only in the troposphere which is much lower then the nacreous clouds. I guess I find them neat.

Anyway so obviously look at the pictures and you can see them, they didn't come out last year and they might not again till close to after I leave.

Excerpt from an email by Lisa Purvis, used with permission. Photos copyright Lisa Purvis.