HUGE OUTBREAK OF NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS:

Were sighted in Europe as far down as Poland (at least) and the USA as far south as Oregon, Utah and California.
Normally, NLCs are confined to polar regions, but this year people are seeing them at middle latitudes, too.

The cause of their brightness: Solar minimum conditions are in effect now as the sun has been without spots for 22 consecutive days--a situation that may favor the frosting of meteor smoke high above Earth.