Van Gogh’s influence as an artist is so profound that people often travel far and wide just to see his works of art in person. But for some Canadians, it feels like Van Gogh came to them instead.
On Wednesday, October 9, a Facebook user shared photos of the morning sky in Ottawa, and the scene looked remarkably similar to Van Gogh’s Starry Night painting. The sky was covered in soft, moving waves of gray clouds, with rays of light peeking through, creating a sharp contrast between light gray and dark shades.
See the viral post:
A Facebook user named Ann Martin shared some photos with the caption, “Earlier tonight at Byward…..I felt like I was in a Van Gogh painting.” The post quickly went viral, garnering more than 200,000 likes and nearly 5,000 comments.
One user wrote, “I just saw something about this yesterday because what looks like cotton means high turbulence and storms.” One user said, “It looks like the starry night painting is taking away the stars.” A third user commented, “Asperitas clouds! Also known as Undulatus Asperatus, these are a new observed type of cloud formation. No mammatus!”
Another user wrote, “Not sure if anyone else zoomed in on the clouds. It looks like two hands are holding the other hand in prayer. What a beautiful picture. Maybe thousands are praying for our country right now because of these tragedies.”
What are Asperitas clouds?
It is a strange cloud formation that resembles the waves of a raging sea. It was officially added to the International Cloud Atlas in 2017, according to CBC. These clouds are often seen around thunderstorms. However, scientists are not entirely sure how they form.
A unique, wavy appearance makes these clouds stand out in the sky, and they have been seen before and after stormy weather.