As if 2020 could n’t turn more upside - down , we now have nature toy illusion on us as well .
An image shared by amateur photographerCessna Kutzshows the agile moment a “ horizontal rainbow ” appear to almost cover the whole span of Lake Sammamish in Washington State .
“ I ’ve seen dozens of rainbows over Lake Sammamish , but never a flat one , ” Kutz tell IFLScience in an audience .
The first , wider image show the rainbow from her window around 2 postmortem local time and hold out for less than five second . A second zoomed - in photograph was deal using her Canon Rebel t5 camera at 300 mm , ISO 100 /f11 1/250sec . None of the three trope had a filter applied to them , though Kutz enounce that she did “ just a tad bit of adjusting with the direct contrast . ”
“ It almost did n’t look veridical and frankly these exposure are barely delete . To me , it was a little reminder to obligate onto hope and love instead of fear and panic in these obscure times . outride secure out there , protagonist , ” Kutz wrote in aFacebook post
IFLScience verbalize with Courtney Obergfell , a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Seattle , who said that it is unmanageable to tell from the photo but believe the sideways rainbow may be what is called a circumhorizontal bow .
" It is an ocular phenomenon that is essentially an ice glory organise by the deflection of the Sun in ice crystals in the atmosphere . In its full form , it can appear as a rainbow - esque banding that ’s horizontal to the horizon , below the Sun , " explained Obergfell . She tally that her section does not keep phonograph recording of the phenomenon , but does take in picture of them periodically .
Circumhorizontal electric arc are also known as “ fervidness rainbows . " Despite its appearance , the phenomenon is neither a rainbow nor does it have anything to do with fire , points outthe University of Santa Barbara Geography department . This phenomenon occurs only when the Sun is higher than 58 degrees above the sensible horizon . A declamatory , biased band that runs parallel to the horizon is mould as the Sun ’s light passes through gamy - EL cirrus cloud clouds or haze contain plate - shaped trash . When perfectly aline , the ice crystallization roleplay as a optical prism and refract light in a way that resemble a rainbow , reaching its maximum intensity when the Sun reaches an superlative of about 68 degrees .
Whether or not circumhorizontal arcs are rare depends on your location . The halo is often watch in the United States several time a year but is rarer in mid - latitude areas like northerly Europe and nonexistent in country northward or Confederate States of latitude 55 arcdegree because the Sun is always downhearted than 58 level , harmonise to theWorld Meteorological Organization .
There are , in fact , many unlike character of rainbow . late research has suggested there areat least 12based on the act and combination of colors seen . They can be horizontal , full band , appear asghosts , andmultiplecan seem at the same time .
For Kutz , this moment of natural smasher serves as a admonisher that the planet has meter to slow down even in times of seeming chaos .
“ Spreading hope and positivity will do more good than being fearful . witness such a phenomenon during a time like this was a beautiful reminder of just that , ” said Kutz . “ Nature has a pretty incredible direction of speaking to us if we choose to mind . ”
And if you ’ve ever question what it might be like to walk through a rainbow , tick outthis video here .
