Category: Rainbow - Ascension Now

Sun halos, arcs and upside-down rainbows seen across England

30/5/2023

BBC: Sat, 27 May 2023 14:01 UTC

A halo, with sun dogs and tangent arcs, was spotted over the Headland in Hartlepool
by Ash Foster

Much of northern England enjoyed a rare optical display on Sunday evening. Thin, high cloud gave a spectacular show of halos, arcs and upside-down rainbows across the North East and Cumbria, not often seen together in the UK. The phenomena are caused by sunlight reflecting and refracting through ice crystals high in the atmosphere.

BBC Look North weather presenter Jennifer Bartram said it was "very unusual". "The particular angle at which the sunlight hits these high-up ice crystals form these patterns," she said. "It's a real delight to see."

The rings around the Sun are known as halos and have a reddish tinge on the inner edge.

Halos gave the perfect frame around the Angel of the North, spotted by Andy Gowland

Though halos are not uncommon in the UK, the combination of other optical effects is more unusual.

© Daniel McTiernan
The unusual solar effects shone over Whitley Bay on Sunday.

One of the more unusual features spotted was an upside-down rainbow, known as a cirumzenithal arc. It is also known as a Bravais' arc, and is formed when sunlight enters horizontal ice crystals and refracts through a side prism face, which causes the upside-down effect.

A bright circumzenithal arc spotted in Stanwix, Cumbria, by Weather Watcher Ravi

Steven Lomas captured the stunning spectacle over Souter Point lighthouse

Also visible were a range of other effects, including parhelia - or sun dogs - which appear as bright patches either side of the sun.

A rare sighting of halos, arcs and sun dogs were spotted in Whale, just outside Penrith,
by Kim Skelton

https://www.sott.net/article/480773-Sun-halos-arcs-and-upside-down-rainbows-seen-across-England

Spectacular cloud formation observed over Mansalay, Philippines

16/4/2021

Jay Nelz, Philippine News, Thu, 15 Apr 2021

The mysterious cloud formation spotted in Oriental Mindoro garnered various speculations from the online community.

The Facebook page "Youth for Mindoro" has shared the amazing photos of a strange cloud formation in Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro. The phenomenon happened last Wednesday afternoon (April 14, 2021).

According to the witnesses, the mysterious light has been formed above the clouds. The weird light looks like a crown roaring above the cloudy, which garnered various reactions from the social media users.

The unique cloud formation has been already spotted in different parts of the world such as Costa Rica and America. The optical phenomenon usually appears when a ray of sunshine hits the ice crystal inside the clouds. The process results to formation of various colors within the clouds, which is called rainbow-effect. The refraction is also known as "cloud iridescence".

Here is the full post.
www.spaceweather.com

MYSTERIOUS TWINNED RAINBOW:

7/6/2020

Scientists have been studying rainbows for hundreds of years, since the 17th century when Isaac Newton first explained the colorful arcs. Yet after all these years, there is one rainbow scientists do not fully understand--the "twinned bow." Jan Curtis photographed this specimen on June 2nd from Cheyenne, Wyoming:

"This is only the 3rd time I've ever seen a rare 'twinned rainbow'," says Curtis. "It followed a heavy storm with hail."
"Several twinned bows have been imaged, mostly during heavy showers, but currently there is no agreed explanation for them," writes atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley. "They might form from a mixture of water drops and ice spheres."
Indeed, Curtis notes, "hail can be seen falling right under the primary rainbow."
"A stronger possibility is that non-spherical raindrops produce one or both bows," Cowley adds. "Surface tension forces keep small raindrops fiercely spherical but as they fall large drops are flattened by air resistance or might even oscillate between flattened and elongated spheroids."
www.spaceweather.com

HOW RAINBOWS SUCK LIGHT OUT OF THE SKY:

19/9/2019

A few days ago in Östersund, Sweden, Göran Strand saw a beautiful double rainbow. The arcing colors, however, were not what attracted his attention. "The amazing thing was the dark band between them!" he says.

"This band is called Alexander's dark band after Alexander of Aphrodisias who first described the effect in 200 AD." says Strand.
All double rainbows are separated by such a band. The bright primary bow (on the left) is formed by light reflected once inside raindrops. The less-bright secondary bow (on the right) is formed by light reflected twice inside raindrops. These reflections, single vs. double, scatter light in opposite directions. In between the two rainbows, light is simply not bent toward the observer, so it looks dark.
And that's how rainbows can suck light out of the sky. Find more examples in the Realtime Rainbow Photo Gallery! www.spaceweather.com

DOUBLE DRONE-BOW:

20/8/2019

To see a rainbow, all you need are sunlight and falling rain. Correction: that's all you need to see half a rainbow. Typical rainbows are at least 50% hidden below the horizon. To see more, you also need a drone:

"After a rainstorm yesterday, I launched my drone," says Piotr Wieczorek of Opławiec, Poland. "As it ascended, an almost-full circle rainbow appeared. I took this picture using the onboard GoPro camera."
Rainbows always appear directly opposite the sun. As the drone rose above the physical horizon, the rainbow did, too. With only a little more lift, the circle would have been complete.
The drone view illustrates another common yet frequently overlooked aspect of rainbows. They are double. The interior or "primary rainbow" is caused by one reflection inside raindrops. The exterior or "secondary rainbow" is caused by two reflections. A double drone bow is a rare sight indeed.
www.spaceweather.com

Warriors of the Rainbow - It Is Time!

8/12/2016

The Virtual Sacred Circle of Nations

When the earth is ravaged and the animals are dying, a new tribe of people shall come unto the earth from many colors, classes and creeds, and by their actions and deeds shall make the earth green again. They will be known as the Warriors of the Rainbow and will put their faith in actions not words -- Old Native American Prophecy

Rainbow Warriors are people from all walks of life who care about the future of all living things and have an interest in developing a deeper connection to the web of life itself.

Great leaders, Warriors and Shamans of many nations will be born and they will cleanse the earth for rebirth. Next will come the Planters sowing seeds of truth, justice and freedom. The Storytellers, Warriors and Planters will live in the way of the Great Spirit and teach ways to keep Mother of the Ground sacred forevermore. They will be called Rainbow Warriors for they will gather the four sacred directions, all distinctly separate but forever connected in the Circle of Life. ~ Lee Standing Bear Moore, Manataka American Indian Council ~

November 23rd, 2016

23/11/2016

Richard Hartley-Parkinson : Metro (UK) :22 Nov 2016

© Melvin Nicholson
The beautiful fogbow which appeared during Storm Angus

A photographer has taken a picture of a beautiful white rainbow in the Scottish mountains. Melvin Nicholson captured a stunning photo of the rare phenomenon - technically a fog bow - on Rannoch Moor while out walking yesterday.

A fog bow is a colourless rainbow made up of tiny water droplets that cause fog. Due to the small size of the water droplets it has very weak colours, with a red outer edge and bluish inner edge.

Melvin said: 'I have never seen a fog bow before and understand that it is very rare. It was an amazing thing to witness and can generally only be seen if the sun is behind you when you are looking at it. As soon as I saw this wonderful isolated windswept tree, I knew that it had to be framed by the fog bow. Freshly fallen snow set the scene all around. It was just beyond magical and one of those days that you'll remember for a long time to come.'

ELECTRIC MOONBOW:

15/10/2016

There's a full Moon this weekend. That means it's time to be alert for moonbows. Ian Glendinning spotted this one arcing over a lightning bolt in Northumberland UK:

"The moonbow framed the lightning nicely--a rare and beautiful coincidence," says Glendinning.
Everyone knows what lightning is. But a moonbow? It's the same as a rainbow with the Moon playing the role of Sun. Raindrops falling in the Northumberland night caught the rays of the waxing full Moon and spread them into a fan of prismatic color.

Glendinning's exposure revealed something even more rare: a secondary moonbow. It's the faint 'bow arciing above the brighter primary. Primary rainbows are caused by single reflections inside raindrops; secondary bows are caused by double reflections. Watch for them both this weekend.
www.spaceweather.com

DRONE-BOW:

17/9/2015

To see a rainbow, all you need are sunlight and falling rain. Correction: that's all you need to see half a rainbow. Typical rainbows are at least 50% hidden below the horizon.To see a complete rainbow, you also need a drone. Witness this picture taken by a drone over the Netherlands on Sept. 16th:

The drone's master is photographer Martijn Harleman. He explains what happened: "Just after a short rain shower, the sun peeked through. With still some drops still falling I quickly launched my drone. As the drone ascended, the full circle showed up. I stitched together 17 pictures to capture (almost) the whole phenomenon."

The drone view illustrates another common yet frequently overlooked aspect of rainbows. They are double. The interior or "primary rainbow" is caused by one reflection inside raindrops. The exterior or "secondary rainbow" is caused by two reflections. Turns out, you can learn a lot about rainbows by flying a drone. www.spaceweather.com

Rare "fire rainbow" seen in skies over South Carolina

20/8/2015

Alexander Sehmer : The Independent : 19 Aug 2015

A rare 'fire rainbow' has been sighted in the sky over South Carolina, dazzling viewers for about an hour before fading away.

The display, known as circumhorizontal arcs, occurs when light hits tiny ice crystals in high-level cirrus clouds. The photo was taken by Tiffany B Jenks and posted on Twitter.

Despite the popular name of 'fire rainbow', it has nothing to do with fire. It is the lower part of a large halo of the sun and runs parallel to the horizon.

It only occurs when the sun is high in the sky - above 58 degrees. The display was seen in the skies over Isle of Palms in South Carolina.
Source

© Twitter/@TiffanyBJenks

The Rainbow Warriors

19/8/2014

The story and legend from the Native Americans People about the Tribe of people from many walks of life, that will rise to save the Earth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utBkbJIYMy8

SUMMER SUN HALO:

18/6/2014

Around the northern hemisphere, sky watchers are starting to report a rainbow-colored sun halo that appears almost-exclusively during summer: the circumhorizon arc. "I saw one on June 13th. It was very bright," says Michail Anastasio, who snapped this picture from the cockpit of a plane flying 20,000 feet over Singapore:

Nicknamed the "fire rainbow" because of its fiery rainbow colors, this apparition in fact has nothing to do with either fire or rainbows. It is caused by sunlight refracting through plate-shaped ice crystals in cirrus clouds. The geometry of the refraction requires that the sun be high in the sky (above 58o), which explains why this is a summertime phenomenon.

June and July are the best months to see circumhorizon arcs. Look for them circling the horizon sometimes in patches, sometimes not, always brightly decorated with pure and well separated prismatic colors. You'll know it when you see it.

http://spaceweather.com/

THE COLORS INSIDE A LIGHTNING BOLT:

27/8/2013

To the human eye, a nearby flash of lightning looks blindingly white. But have you ever wondered what colors might emerge if the flash were spread out chromatically, like a rainbow? During a recent thunderstorm in Tarn, France, David Antao decided to find out. "I am an enthusiastic astro-spectroscopist," he says, "so I couldn't resist shooting some spectra." Here is the result:

"I found it really beautiful!" says Antao.

All of the colors of a rainbow are present in the lightning strike, but some colors are stronger than others. Red, green and blue emission lines zig-zag across the spectrum tracing the shape of the original bolt. These colors are mainly due to the recombination of electrons with nitrogen molecules broken apart and ionized by the searing heat of the lightning discharge. Lines from oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen oxides are present, too.

"By analysing this spectra, it is possible to determine the temprature of the lightning," notes Antao. "I am trying to do this now."
www.spaceweather.com

Intense Double Rainbows seen in many places

1/4/2013

Everyone is familiar with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow according to Irish folklore. In Norse mythology the Rainbow Bridge connects Earth with Asgard, the home of the gods. The Greek messenger Iris is dressed in rainbow colors with golden wings. As her tale progresses she takes to traveling on a rainbow. In the myths of Australian Aborigines, the Rainbow Serpent is the god and the creator of all. Rainbows also appear in Navajo and Hindu tales of creation.

Even in the Bible Noah saves the animals by taking two of each species on his Ark. After the great flood Noah sees a rainbow symbolizing the rebirth of the land. A rainbow has come to represent God’s promise to never again send a flood to destroy all living things.

The material world is represented by the first, primary, rainbow, while the second rainbow is the spiritual world. Seeing a single rainbow is fairly common, so something we take for granted in the universe, but when we see a double rainbow we stop and take time to admire the wonder of the universe. Double Rainbows are considered symbolic of transformations in your life.

A primary Rainbow can be seen to illustrate a human descending from heaven. The secondary arc in a Double Rainbow has reversed colors so the human figure is ascending from the material earth to the spiritual heaven. Therefore seeing a Double Rainbow is considered a very auspicious occasion and a reason for reflection and meditation.

The Age of Aquarius has arrived?

http://beforeitsnews.com/beyond-science/2013/04/double-rainbows-all-over-the-world-last-24-hours-video-2441534.html

MACEDONIA: Intense vibrant double rainbow after light rainfall in Skopje, Macedonia; Mar 31, 2013.
Music: Nina Simone - Feelin' Good

What's up in space

3/12/2012

JUPITER CLOSE TO EARTH: Today, Dec. 3rd, Jupiter makes its closest approach to Earth until 2021. The giant planet rises at sunset--it looks like a very bright star--and soars overhead at midnight. If you have a backyard telescope take a look! [sky map] Everyone knows about Jupiter's Great Red Spot, a giant anti-cyclone twice the size of Earth, but what about the great storm's two companions? On the eve of closest approach, Glenn Jolly of Gilbert, Arizona, looked through his 14-inch telescope and saw three red swirls:

"The Great Red Spot was in full view along with its current associates", says Jolly.

To the upper left of the GRS, the medium-sized storm is "Red Spot Jr.," also known as "Oval BA," which appeared in the year 2000 when three smaller storms collided and merged. It is about the size of Earth. Red Jr.'s satellite storm is a more recent addition, coincidentally about the size of the Moon. Together, the trio are easy targets for backyard telescopes.

GHOSTLY WHITE RAINBOW: Dec. 1st was a foggy night in Little Sioux, Iowa. Nevertheless, Evan Ludes decided to go outside to photograph the nearly-full Moon and "to play in the fog," he says. The Moon was high and bright, as expected, and when he finished snapping the lunar disk, he turned around to find this ghostly white rainbow behind his back:

"It was a lunar fogbow," explains Ludes. Fogbows are sometimes called "white rainbows," and that's about right. Both rainbows and fogbows are caused by light reflected from water droplets. When the droplets are large (rain), they act like prisms, spreading the colors wide for easy visibility. When the droplets are small (fog), the prism-action is reduced, and colors are smeared together into a ghostly-white arc.

"I also saw a fogbow created by our headlights," he adds. "It was incredibly bright visually, and this was my first time ever seeing one!" www.spaceweather.com