Night clouds

Clouds after dark are lit from below if there is no moon and it is hard to figure out what color they are. In the abstract, we know that clouds are gray (rain) or white (fair), and pink, purple and orange at sunset and sunrise. At night they absorb the ambient light from below and reflect it back on us. 


These clouds seemed white in contrast to the darkness of the night sky, but they were probably more blue gray where they thinned to reveal the space beyond them.


I have not found any examples of John Constable painting a night landscape, so no night clouds for Mr Constable. These were painted about 9:30 pm facing west on Monday, September 19th.