Thursday, March 05, 2009

Sky Watch Friday #22: Mackerel Sky


"Mackerel Sky?"
Raleigh, NC - November 2008 (Click to embiggen)

Sky Watch Friday

When I was young I heard my uncle (a US Navy weather officer) call this a "mackerel sky". I never made the connection between the ribbed clouds and a fish myself, so I just chalked it up to a "Navy Thing" and forgot about it. Until I see the same kind of formation, and then I wonder all over again. If any of our Sky watching brethren knows where this term came from how about filling me in?Violence Unsilenced
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41 comments:

FH said...

It does look like fish scales! New way too look at the sky!! :)

Wonderful clear sky today after all the gloomy cloudy sky for the past 2 days.

Guy D said...

Now that I my kind of sky, love it!!!

Have a great weekend!
Guy
Regina In Pictures

bobbie said...

I'm familiar with the term, and it does look like a mackeral to me. Makes a nice picture anyway.

Esther Garvi said...

I agree with Bobby! My grandfather was a sea captain and after he retired, he'd go out fishing maker ell for lunch. They are really one of the most beautifully coloured fish I know, and their pattern is very similar to the above. It even has the touch of silver, which makes the mackerels shine.

Tarolino said...

I must agree with the above. having seen mackerel when we used to fish during my years in England this sky does resemble the patterns of that fish. A very beautiful sky it is too.

Kathleen McQueen Wright said...

Such a beautiful sky!

Carol said...

Great photo...pretty sky with little touches of blue peeking thru...

SandyCarlson said...

I never much appreciated the comparison...until a Skywatcher posted some images of a mackeral's belly. The coloration was so like this sky. I think it might have been our friend Tom Wigley who did the educating.

Photo Cache said...

I learned another term; great mackerel sky btw.

Daryl said...

Holy Mackerel .. what a sky!

Anonymous said...

I like what Daryl said, Holy Mackerel - What a sky!!! hehehe

Lene said...

Those clouds are very beautiful :) Great captured.

ArtistUnplugged said...

Beautiful sky!

EG CameraGirl said...

I like the undulations in the sky, Mojo. As to what makes it a mackerel sky...well, I dunno. I'm still working on how to SPELL mackerel. LOL

Mamie said...

Mojo, I am a HUGE skywatcher and this is one of the finest I've seen. I love the contrast with the black of the buildings and the bare trees.

Unknown said...

That type of ribbing sometimes happens in fine, wet sand as well. I used to look at those ribbed formations in the sand as a little kid and always thought of fish.

Great photo, as always.

VALKYRIEN said...

I am familiar with the mackerel skies, and I believe the name comes from the likeness with the pattern on the mackerels skin.

Great shot!

VALKYRIEN said...

I am familiar with the mackerel skies, and I believe the name comes from the likeness with the pattern on the mackerels skin.

Great shot!

Anonymous said...

Somewhere in the recesses of my mind swims this term, but I had never put scales and sky together.
Wonderful imagery!

Tink *~*~* said...

Mojo! It's been a busy week, and I feel like I haven't "seen" you in a long time. I would agree with the theory that the clouds have arranged themselves in the pattern of a fish's scales. I do admit, however, that I've never seen a whole mackerel. The extent of my exposure to mackerel consists of opening a can of it that has pictures of cats on the label.

Happy Friday!

Tink *~*~*
NOW PLAYING at My Mobile Adventures *~*~* :
Sanibel Skies Over Fragile Marine Ecosystems

Rose said...

Very beautiful!

Rose said...

p.s. I didn't know they were called mackerel skies till I started doing sky watch.

Mimi Lenox said...

I never heard that expression. I will look at the sky differently now.
Interesting.

Arija said...

Maybe because it looks like a school of Mackerel shimmering under the surface of the water.

Coy Hill said...

Pretty skies, nice choice for Sky Watch!

Brad Myers said...

Good skywatch photo, well done.

Brad Myers said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Wow, i've never seen such skies before. Now I know if I see the same, I'd know it's mackerel sky. Thanks for the info.

Jan said...

Great capture. I didn't know, either, but it looks as if Sandy did.

PJ said...

Holy mackerel! What a beautiful sky. I think it's means that it has a mother-of-pearl-fish scale kind of a look. It's a great catch (pun intended). Happy SWF!

Sunshinelene said...

it's a wow but i think it's scary too. thanks for sharing. :)

happy sky watch and happy week-end!

i played too this week here - http://www.midlifedancing.com/2009/03/sky-watch-42.html

Arlene

Indrani said...

I have not heard of this term, but buttermilk skies, yes. Lovely shot!

magiceye said...

gorgeous

Shadow said...

very well named, looks kinda cold...

Jane Hards Photography said...

I have learnt so much about skies and cloud formations just through skywatch. Last year I was clueless, this year I'm like oh yes beautiful rendition of a Mackerel sky.

Debbie@Like a Rose said...

Beautiful sky no matter what you call it. I can see the connection though.

Janie said...

I never heard the term, but it does make sense.
Great catch of a fishy looking sky!

GreensboroDailyPhoto said...

So much texture in those clouds!

Eaton Bennett aka Berenice Albrecht said...

That is a wonderful sky capture. Amazing cloud formation and colors. It does look like a filleted piece of fish. :)

Dee said...

It's my first time to hear that - a Mackerel sky. But now that you've mentioned it, yes, it sort of resembles a fish. Beautiful sky! Unique!

LOURDES C COSTA said...

Great photo!
Beautiful sky W.F.
Have a nice weekend!