At http://spaceweather.com (December 1st 2016) we have a 'mesospheric bore' – strange goings on in the mesosphere. This is a layer of the atmosphere above the stratosphere. It is the realm of sprites and noctolucent clouds – and air-glow. As early as November 17th NASAs AIM spacecraft spotted noctolucent clouds as seen in the atmosphere above Australia. Then, on the 24th, the normal channel of air glow above China seemed to split apart – and a photograph taken by Xiao Shuai, took an image (not now on the Spaceweather site but replaced by one from California a few days later) – see below
which is a picture of the moon in front of Venus – but with the topography of the moon lit up by earth-shine. The phenomenon is known as the mesospheric bore – an atmospheric wave with a deep ripple at its leading edge. They are categorised as 'gravity waves' was they resemble waves in water on the surface of the earth. Gravity is thought to act on the force essential to wave function.