The rarest cloud on earth was spotted over the county in an amazing moment of photography.

The Noctilucent cloud was photographed by Oxford Mail Camera Club member Steve Creasey on Tuesday morning at around 2.45am.

Noctilucent clouds, or night-shining clouds, are the rarest, driest and highest clouds on Earth.

READ MORE: PICTURES: Cheeky squirrel snapped making off with bird feeder

The extremely rare cloud type appears in the night sky, usually on clear, summer nights.

They become visible about the same time as the brightest stars appear and often stay visible after dark because they are still reflecting sunlight due to their great height

Noctilucent clouds are usually blue or silver in colour, but sometimes orange or red. 

This type of cloud is the highest in Earth’s atmosphere, located in what is known as the mesosphere, at altitudes of around 76 to 85 km (249,000 to 279,000 ft).

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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