These South Carolina Residents Stared At This Rainbow Because Of Its Rare Origins
by N/A, 9 years ago |
2 min read
This past Sunday, residents of Isle of Palms, in South Carolina, had the privilege of beholding an extremely rare meteorological sight. On a clear afternoon, with only sparse cirrus clouds in sky, a so-called "fire rainbow" appeared - or as it's more formally known, a "circumhorizontal arc."
Locals were unsure what to make of phenomenon, and obviously weren't familiar with what to call it, but were nonetheless smitten by its enchanting appearance.
In case you couldn't already tell, a fire rainbow isn't like any ordinary rainbow.
And they only happen amidst a very specific set of circumstances.
“They only occur in high-level cirrus clouds made up of tiny ice crystals†explains 14 News meteorologist Justin Lock.
“To produce the rainbow colors the sun’s rays must enter the ice crystals at a precise angle to give the prism effect of the color spectrum.â€
Lock adds that the sun must also be at an altitude of at least 58 degrees above the horizon in order for the phenomenon to occur.
Whatever your interest or lack there of in the science behind them, there's no denying the beauty of a "fire rainbow."
And if you asked any of Isle of Palms resident who was able to witness the rare sight, I'm sure they would tell you that pictures don't at all do the real thing justice.
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