Unfortunately, the method is not available to all, but in our
semi-urbanised nation it should work in quite a number of
locations.

For me, I have an excellent outlook to the west and
northwest, and the street lighting of Luton provides the
usual reflected orange glow from layers of St, Sc, and
even Ac. Towards the northwest the edge of town
is clearly defined at a distance of 5.5km and this
shows up well as a diffuse discontinuity (forgive
the oxymoron) in the light reflected on the cloud
layer. For higher cloud layers, the lights of Milton
Keynes (average 27.5km distant) show up nicely as
an elongated patch of orange-ish illumination on
the cloud.

Estimating the angle of elevation of the discontinuities
provides me, using simple trigonometry, with an
approximate height of the cloud base. All I need to
do now is to rig up a protractor on a stick to allow
me to measure the angle.

Brings back memories of searchlight-and-alidade
days.

Philip Eden

Excellent idea Philip. I prefer to study the metars!!!!!

But seriously, in my flying days, it was often possible to see the lights
of, for example Netherlands, reflecting onto cloud from a distance of
perhaps 200 kilometres. I would imagine that it is possible from ground
level on the extreme east coast of Norfolk or Suffolk to see the lights of
Holland if the cirrus layer is just right. I used to live in Great
Yarmouth, but in those long gone days, the skies were so dark you could
actually see the stars from the middle of town. Not today I fear.

Jack

"Jack Harrison" wrote in message
.. .
I would imagine that it is possible from ground level on the extreme east
coast of Norfolk or Suffolk to see the lights of Holland if the cirrus
layer is just right.

About 4 years ago, I remember seeing a very obvious orange sodium lamp type
of glow in the Ayr/Prestwick direction when viewing about 15 m above sea
level on the Co. Antrim coast. The distance would have been between 90 and
100 km from the particular point on the coast.

Regards,
Alan Love,
Lisburn, Co. Antrim.