Possible observations of noctilucent clouds by Thomas Romney Robinson

Noctilucent Clouds (NLC) were first reported by Backhouse (1885) and Jesse (1890) from observations made in 1884-5, following the huge volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in 1883. This led to a widespread belief that they were caused by volcanic ejecta. Later studies have suggested that they are more likely to be composed of extra-terrestrial particles which, as they descend through the atmosphere to the vicinity of the mesopause, become coated with water ice (WMO Report, 1970).