Lenticular clouds: UFO-like clouds spotted in Scottish Highlands

Check out this incredible cloud formation.

These amazing alien-like clouds were visible from parts of the Scottish Highlands.

They were spotted over a large area of the region, in and around the city of Inverness.

These rare clouds, called lenticular clouds, usually form near mountain ranges or in hilly areas - but how and why do they form? Keep reading to find out.

How are lenticular clouds formed?

These clouds are formed when air moves over the top of hills or mountains.

As the wind cools it condenses and becomes a cloud, but lenticular clouds are different from other clouds in that they don't move in the sky.

While the cloud stays in place, it is shaped by new air rising up, making the cloud smooth and round.

According to the Met Office (the UK's national weather service) the clouds form when the air is stable and winds blow across hills and mountains from a similar direction at different heights through the troposphere - the lowest region of Earth's atmosphere.

So next time your mate claims they've seen an alien spaceship in the sky, make sure to tell them all about lenticular clouds before they put the call in to Nasa!