My Twitter feed exploded on June 25 with reports of colorful, crazy-looking clouds, sundogs, Sun halos and more. The above image from Nathanial Burton-Bradford is just an example of the type of atmospheric effect called a circumhorizontal arc. These are sometimes referred to as “fire rainbows” but of course are not rainbows, and fire plays no role.
This is an optical phenomenon from sunlight hitting ice crystals in high cirrus clouds. It is actually a rather rare occurrence, but it happens most often during the daytime in summer when the Sun is high in the sky. This creates a rainbow-type effect directly in the ice crystal-filled clouds.
See more examples below.
You can find out more about circumhorizontal arcs from this article from Amusing Planet.
Unless the first photo has been rotated (it doesn’t look like it has), it’s not a circumhorizon arc which is, well, horizontal. It’s almost impossible to guess what arc it is without context (direction relative to the sun, angle of view).
OPOD mentions circumzenithal arcs over England on the same day: http://www.atoptics.co.uk/opod.htm
Always check the whole sky 360×180° when you see a halo! Look for fainter, rare ones!
I noticed that too, Manu. Nathaniel’s photo looks like a sundog to me.
Hi All 🙂
Yep – It’s a sundog –
Here’s an earlier photo (wider field of view) to give you context …
http://nathanial-bb.deviantart.com/art/101-1079-463952796?ga_submit_new=10%253A1403903886
Nathanial
Good job, thanks! =)