We report on the first common volume ground‐based and space measurements of the mesospheric front in noctilucent clouds (NLCs). The detailed ground‐based observations were performed with automated digital cameras located at the Athabasca University Geophysical Observatory (Canada) on the night of 29–30 June 2012, while simultaneous space measurements were conducted onboard the Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite using the Sounding of the Atmosphere using Broadband Emission Radiometry instrument. The large temperature difference of 20–25 K between two different air masses at about 85 km altitude was responsible for the front jump separating the area filled with NLCs from the area with no NLCs. The front jump (soliton) had a pronounced elevation of 12 km up to the altitude of 96 km relative to the undisturbed NLC layer located between 84.5 and 86.3 km. Considering present and previous ground‐based measurements of the NLC height, we conclude that altitude of 96–97 km is the upper limit of possible heights of NLCs.

Noctilucent, or "night-shining," clouds (NLCs) are a spectacular optical nighttime phenomenon that is very often neglected in the context of atmospheric optics. This paper gives a brief overview of current understanding of NLCs by providing a simple physical picture of their formation, relevant observational characteristics, and scientific challenges of NLC research. Modern ground-based photographic NLC observations, carried out in the framework of automated digital camera networks around the globe, are outlined. In particular, the obtained results refer to studies of single quasi-stationary waves in the NLC field. These waves exhibit specific propagation properties-high localization, robustness, and long lifetime-that are the essential requisites of solitary waves.

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