‘Lenticular cloud’ forms above Greenfield, near Oldham, Gtr Manchester (Image: Dave Pickett / SWNS)
Amateur snapper Dave Pickett, 38, caught the spectular moment a ‘lenticular cloud’ flew above Greenfield, near Oldham, Gtr Manchester, on Friday.
According to the , the rare clouds fly between 6,500 to 16,500 ft (1,980 to 5,030 metres) off the ground.
The weather agency says they are believed to be one of the most common explanations for UFO sightings across the world.
Civil servant Dave said his seven-year-old son Blake spotted the phenomenon from his bedroom, so he grabbed his phone to capture the moment.
He said: “We agreed it looked like a spaceship.
“It wasn’t the same ten minutes later, when the sky lost its colour as the sun was rising.
“I got lucky and had my phone to hand.”
He added: “I’ve dabbled in photography over the years, but I’m by no means a photographer.
“I’d never seen anything like it.
‘Lenticular cloud’ forms above Greenfield, near Oldham, Gtr Manchester (Image: Jeremy Hugo / SWNS)
“A friend commented that it was a lenticular cloud, I had never heard of it.
“It reminded me of Nope. A cloud-looking UFO which turned out to be a big balloon thing.”
Lenticular clouds are a visible sign of mountain waves in the air.
The clouds form as air blows across a mountain range, like ripples forming in a river when water flows over an obstruction, like a rock.
If the air has enough moisture, the says, the rising motion of the waves will cause water vapour to condense, forming the cloud’s appearance.
The town of Greenfield is located next to the Pennine Hills and Saddleworth Moor.
According to the , pilots of powered aircraft tend to avoid flying near them due to increased turbulence.
However, some glider pilots like them as they can tell where the air will be rising.