Partly Cloudy
Aug. 1, 2012
This "fire rainbow," or iridescent cloud, was captured in a photo taken Tuesday over South Florida. (Ken Rotberg/WPTV)
So-called "fire rainbows" are neither on fire nor are they rainbows, but they sure are stunning.
They are technically known as iridescent clouds, a relatively rare phenomenon caused by clouds of water droplets of nearly uniform size, according to a release by NASA. These clouds diffract, or bend, light in a similar manner, which separates out light into different wavelengths, or colors.
Related on Our Amazing Planet: Weirdo Weather: 7 Rare Weather Events
That makes them similar to rainbow-colored glories, which are also formed by diffraction, and also produce an oscillating pattern of colors ranging from blue to green to red to purple and back to blue again.
Although iridescent clouds have rainbow-like colors, the way light is scattered to produce them is slightly different. Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection. When light is refracted, it is bent by passing through mediums of different densities, such as water or a prism. Reflected light bounces off a surface at an angle equal to the angle it hit the surface at. Diffraction, though, involves light waves being scattered into a ring-like pattern.
Related on Our Amazing Planet: Video: Double Rainbow, Now With Lightning!
As with other iridescent objects, like peacock feathers, the color changes depending upon one's position relative to the sun and the object.
Iridescence usually occurs in newly formed clouds. That appears to be the case here as well. According to the Weather Channel, these are pileus clouds caused by a fast-growing thunderstorm that shoved air into the upper atmosphere through a layer of moisture. This created a fog-like cloud that looks like a glowing dome atop the thunderstorm.
Related on Our Amazing Planet: Quadruple Rainbow Photographed for First Time
Iridescent clouds are not to be confused with circumhorizontal arcs, which form bands of color parallel to the horizon.
The phenomenon was captured in a photo taken on Tuesday (July 31) in the clouds over South Florida.
Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter @OAPlanet. We're also on Facebook and Google+.
Copyright 2012 OurAmazingPlanet, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
RELATED ON SKYE: Breathtaking Rainbows from Around the World
This "fire rainbow," or iridescent cloud, was captured in a photo taken Tuesday over South Florida. (Ken Rotberg/WPTV)
So-called "fire rainbows" are neither on fire nor are they rainbows, but they sure are stunning.
They are technically known as iridescent clouds, a relatively rare phenomenon caused by clouds of water droplets of nearly uniform size, according to a release by NASA. These clouds diffract, or bend, light in a similar manner, which separates out light into different wavelengths, or colors.
Related on Our Amazing Planet: Weirdo Weather: 7 Rare Weather Events
That makes them similar to rainbow-colored glories, which are also formed by diffraction, and also produce an oscillating pattern of colors ranging from blue to green to red to purple and back to blue again.
Although iridescent clouds have rainbow-like colors, the way light is scattered to produce them is slightly different. Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection. When light is refracted, it is bent by passing through mediums of different densities, such as water or a prism. Reflected light bounces off a surface at an angle equal to the angle it hit the surface at. Diffraction, though, involves light waves being scattered into a ring-like pattern.
Related on Our Amazing Planet: Video: Double Rainbow, Now With Lightning!
As with other iridescent objects, like peacock feathers, the color changes depending upon one's position relative to the sun and the object.
Iridescence usually occurs in newly formed clouds. That appears to be the case here as well. According to the Weather Channel, these are pileus clouds caused by a fast-growing thunderstorm that shoved air into the upper atmosphere through a layer of moisture. This created a fog-like cloud that looks like a glowing dome atop the thunderstorm.
Related on Our Amazing Planet: Quadruple Rainbow Photographed for First Time
Iridescent clouds are not to be confused with circumhorizontal arcs, which form bands of color parallel to the horizon.
The phenomenon was captured in a photo taken on Tuesday (July 31) in the clouds over South Florida.
Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter @OAPlanet. We're also on Facebook and Google+.
Copyright 2012 OurAmazingPlanet, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
RELATED ON SKYE: Breathtaking Rainbows from Around the World
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11 Comments
Two Sonic Rainbooms?!?
August 03 2012 at 2:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThat's 20% cooler than a double rainbow!
boo hoo hoo hoo but whaaat does it mean! waaa waaa hahaha
August 02 2012 at 6:22 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyVery nice indeed:)!!
August 02 2012 at 4:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyid like to think thats what it looks like when a cloud orgasms
August 02 2012 at 3:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyit just shows you that there's an abundance of natural beauty if you'll only pay attention (and get off the web for a while).
August 02 2012 at 3:49 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replylol, comes from the person replying via the web.
August 03 2012 at 7:55 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyJust another way to disguise what chemtrails are doing to our atmosphere!!!
August 02 2012 at 12:17 PM Report abuse Permalink -3 rate up rate down ReplyHow beautiful!!! It looks ethereal.
August 02 2012 at 11:54 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply