Quantcast
ZME Science
  • CoronavirusNEW
  • News
  • Environment
    • Climate
    • Animals
    • Renewable Energy
    • Eco tips
    • Environmental Issues
    • Green Living
  • Health
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Anatomy
    • Diseases
    • Genetics
    • Mind & Brain
    • Nutrition
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
    • Feature Post
    • Art
    • Great Pics
    • Design
    • Fossil Friday
    • AstroPicture
    • GeoPicture
    • Did you know?
    • Offbeat
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
Home Science News

Spectacular Rare ‘Fire Rainbow Cloud’ Spotted in South Carolina

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
August 20, 2015
in News, Physics

It’s one of the rarest meteorological phenomena, and it’s truly spectacular: a fire rainbow delighted beachgoers in South Carolina, being photographed dozens of times and posted to social media.

The term “fire rainbow” is actually misleading – the correct term would be circumhorizontal arc, but that just doesn’t sound so good. It’s basically an ice halo formed by ice crystals located very high, in the cirrus clouds. This flamboyant display of colors can be typically seen several times a year in the US, though it’s much rarer in Europe and Asia.

The phenomenon is similar to brightly colored sunsets; the difference to when you see all those bright colors at sunset is that here the entire light diffraction occurs on one single cloud, painting it as a rainbow. It takes very specific conditions for circumhorizontal arcs to form.

Meteorologist Justin Lock said:

Get more science news like this...

Join the ZME newsletter for amazing science news, features, and exclusive scoops. More than 40,000 subscribers can't be wrong.

   

‘To produce the rainbow colours the sun’s rays must enter the ice crystals at a precise angle to give the prism effect of the color spectrum,’ Lock said, adding the sun must be at an altitude of at least 58 degrees above the horizon.

Tags: circumhorizontal arcfire rainbow
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Andrei's background is in geophysics, and he's been fascinated by it ever since he was a child. Feeling that there is a gap between scientists and the general audience, he started ZME Science -- and the results are what you see today.

Follow ZME on social media

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
  • More

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Environment
    • Climate
    • Animals
    • Renewable Energy
    • Eco tips
    • Environmental Issues
    • Green Living
  • Health
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Anatomy
    • Diseases
    • Genetics
    • Mind & Brain
    • Nutrition
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
    • Feature Post
    • Art
    • Great Pics
    • Design
    • Fossil Friday
    • AstroPicture
    • GeoPicture
    • Did you know?
    • Offbeat
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.