Noctilucent clouds are first known to have been observed in 1885 , two years after the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa . It remains unclear whether their appearance had anything to do with the volcanic eruption or whether their discovery was due to more people observing the spectacular sunsets caused by the volcanic debris in the atmosphere . Studies have shown that noctilucent clouds are not caused solely by volcanic activity , although dust and water vapour could be injected into the upper atmosphere by eruptions and contribute to their formation . Scientists at the time assumed the clouds were another manifestation of volcanic ash , but after the ash had settled out of the atmosphere , the noctilucent clouds persisted . Finally , the theory that the clouds were composed of volcanic dust was disproved by Malzev in 1926 . In the years following their discovery , the clouds were studied extensively by Otto Jesse of Germany , who was the first to photograph them , in 1887 , and seems to have been the one to coin the term " noctilucent cloud " , which means " night-shining cloud " . His notes provide evidence that noctilucent clouds first appeared in 1885 . He had been doing detailed observations of the unusual sunsets caused by the Krakatoa eruption the previous year and firmly believed that , if the clouds had been visible then , he would undoubtedly have noticed them . Systematic photographic observations of the clouds were organized in 1887 by Jesse , Foerster , and Stolze and , after that year , continuous observations were carried out at the Berlin Observatory . During this research , the height of the clouds was first determined , via triangulation . The project was discontinued in 1896
1883 eruption of Krakatoa
1883 eruption of Krakatoa
Noctilucent cloud