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search Earth atmosphere diagram showing the exosphere and other
layers. The layers are to scale. From Earth's surface to the top
of the stratosphere (50 km or 31 mi) is just under 1.2% of
Earth's radius. This article is about the atmospheric
mesosphere, for the Earth's mantle see Mesosphere (mantle).  The
mesosphere (/ˈmɛssfɪər/; from Greek mesos "middle" and sphaira
"ball") is the layer of the Earth's atmosphere that is directly
above the stratopause and directly below the mesopause. In the
mesosphere temperature decreases with increasing height. The
upper boundary of the mesosphere is the mesopause, which can be
the coldest naturally occurring place on Earth with temperatures
below 130 K (−226 °F; −143 °C). The exact upper and lower
boundaries of the mesosphere vary with latitude and with season,
but the lower boundary of the mesosphere is usually located at
heights of about 50 kilometres (160,000 ft; 31 mi) above the
Earth's surface and the mesopau