By . Jane Borland . PUBLISHED: . 00:26 EST, 14 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:29 EST, 15 March 2013 . They look like the vanguard of an alien invasion fleet. But these ‘UFOs’ hovering over the village of Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull have certainly come in peace. Lenticular clouds are stationary, lens-shaped formations which can appear at high altitudes. Scroll down for video . Isle of sky: Lenticular Clouds - also known as Altocumulus lenticularis - are pictured over the village of Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland . They have often been mistaken for UFOs because of their characteristic appearance and smooth, saucer-like shape – while bright colors are sometimes seen along their edges. Similar clouds also turned up over Perthshire yesterday – where they assumed a shape more like that of Earth’s most famous spacecraft, the fictional Starship Enterprise. The clouds – scientific name altocumulus lenticularis – are a  phenomenon seen in every country in the world where there are hills and moisture. To boldly glow: these red clouds over Perthshire, Scotland, resemble Star trek's Starship Enterprise . They are formed when a smooth, stable airflow strikes these hills and are sometimes found at extreme altitudes, composed of ice particles. Just as a rock in a stream will form ripples downstream, a similar effect occurs in the air – with the clouds forming at the peaks of the waves. You’re most likely to notice them in winter in the UK, especially if you live to the west of hills. Glider pilots use these waves in the air to achieve high altitudes. Energise: How Star Trek's Starship Enterprise looks in the popular series .
Spectacle appeared over the village of Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull .
They are stationary lenticular clouds which can appear at high altitudes .
By . Jane Borland . PUBLISHED: . 00:26 EST, 14 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:29 EST, 15 March 2013 . They look like the vanguard of an alien invasion fleet. But these ‘UFOs’ hovering over the village of Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull have certainly come in peace. Lenticular clouds are stationary, lens-shaped formations which can appear at high altitudes. Scroll down for video . Isle of sky: Lenticular Clouds - also known as Altocumulus lenticularis - are pictured over the village of Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland . They have often been mistaken for UFOs because of their characteristic appearance and smooth, saucer-like shape – while bright colors are sometimes seen along their edges. Similar clouds also turned up over Perthshire yesterday – where they assumed a shape more like that of Earth’s most famous spacecraft, the fictional Starship Enterprise. The clouds – scientific name altocumulus lenticularis – are a phenomenon seen in every country in the world where there are hills and moisture. To boldly glow: these red clouds over Perthshire, Scotland, resemble Star trek's Starship Enterprise . They are formed when a smooth, stable airflow strikes these hills and are sometimes found at extreme altitudes, composed of ice particles. Just as a rock in a stream will form ripples downstream, a similar effect occurs in the air – with the clouds forming at the peaks of the waves. You’re most likely to notice them in winter in the UK, especially if you live to the west of hills. Glider pilots use these waves in the air to achieve high altitudes. Energise: How Star Trek's Starship Enterprise looks in the popular series .
the village of Fionnphort on the Isle of Mull are stationary, lens-shaped formations which can appear at high altitudes. Scroll down for video .