• Nessie and Noctilucent Clouds: A Meteorological Explanation for Some Loch Ness Monster Sightings

    Author(s):
    Oliver D. Smith (see profile)
    Date:
    2023
    Subject(s):
    Cryptozoology, Loch Ness monster, Meteorology, Noctilucent clouds, Scotland
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Loch Ness Monster, Nessie, cryptozoology, noctilucent clouds
    Permanent URL:
    https://doi.org/10.17613/1gbj-fd89
    Abstract:
    Since the 1930s there have been over a thousand recorded sightings of monsters in Loch Ness, Scotland. The consensus of experts is these reports of mysterious creatures (known in Scottish Highlands folklore as Nessie) have mundane or prosaic explanations such as hoaxes, wakes, mirages, misidentifications of floating objects (e.g., natural debris, boats) and known native fauna (e.g., deer, otters, diving birds), opposed to extraordinary or unusual explanations such as exotic fauna, escaped animals from traveling circuses, relict plesiosaurs and unknown or elusive species (e.g., ‘long-necked’ pinniped, giant eel). After providing an overview of the different hypotheses and a history of the search for the Loch Ness Monster – the author of this paper argues a rare meteorological phenomenon might explain some monster sightings in the loch during twilight hours between May and August –reflections of noctilucent clouds (NLCs).
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    10.1344/co20233425-45
    Pub. Date:
    2023
    Journal:
    Coolabah
    Issue:
    34
    Page Range:
    25 - 45
    ISSN:
    1988-5946
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    5 months ago
    License:
    Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives
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