I can't help it, here's another noctilucent cloud photo from the same night at the Zaanse Schans, but this time more aimed towards the river Zaan and the town of Zaandijk.

Sony A73, Sony FE 24-105mm lens
10 seconds, F/5.6, ISO 250
30th of June 2025, 0:05 CET

#jdjphotographynl #iamsterdam #oogvoornoordholland #inholland #netherlands #hollandspracht #bestofnetherlands #nederland_wat_ben_je_mooi #hollands_mooiste_fotos #landscape #landscapephotography #nightphotography #cameranu_nl #zoomnl #cameraland_nl

Imagine this: a warm summer evening, the sky a deep, velvety blue, glowing with an otherworldly shimmer. Above the world-famous windmills of the Zaanse Schans, rare and mysterious noctilucent clouds dance across the northern horizon. This spectacular natural phenomenon, made up of ice crystals at an altitude of 80 kilometers, is only visible for a few weeks in June and July—just after sunset. Captured beautifully in this unique photograph, these are the highest clouds on Earth—and perhaps the most mysterious. Their origin lies in meteor dust, and possibly even in subtle shifts in our climate.

The Zaanse Schans is a historic and touristic area located along the Zaan River in the municipality of Zaanstad, just north of Amsterdam. It is one of the most iconic heritage sites in the Netherlands, attracting over two million visitors annually. The Zaanse Schans is renowned for its traditional wooden houses, working windmills, and authentic craft workshops that date back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

The area was developed in the 1960s as an open-air museum and heritage zone. Many of the buildings were relocated from other parts of the Zaan region to be preserved here. Today, the Zaanse Schans is a unique blend of cultural history, artisanal tradition, and natural beauty—offering a quintessentially Dutch landscape that feels both timeless and alive.