Astronomy Picture of the Day -- A Horizon Rainbow in Paris

NASA ^ | March 27, 2013 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Why is this horizon so colorful? Because, opposite the Sun, it is raining. What is pictured above is actually just a common rainbow. It's uncommon appearance is caused by the Sun being unusually high in the sky during the rainbow's creation. Since every rainbow's center must be exactly opposite the Sun, a high Sun reflecting off of a distant rain will produce a low rainbow where only the very top is visible -- because the rest of the rainbow is below the horizon. Furthermore, no two observers can see exactly the same rainbow -- every person finds themselves exactly between the Sun and rainbow's center, and every observer sees the colorful circular band precisely 42 degrees from rainbow's center. The above image featuring the Eiffel Tower was taken in Paris, France last week. Although the intermittent thunderstorms lasted for much of the day, the horizon rainbow lasted for only a few minutes.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit & Copyright: Bertrand Kulik]

[SunkenCiv]

[singing] rainbow in Paris...

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[bigheadfred]

Not to rain on your parade, but when fetid, miasmic gasses rise into colder air....

[steve86]

I think the rainbow is smiling upon those brave citizens who aren’t afraid to defend the family. Great example for the rest of the world.

[Innovative]

Beautiful!

Thanks for posting it.

My take-away from this is HOPE — under the dark clouds there is a rainbow.

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[SunkenCiv]

;’)

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Thanks Sunken Civ!
PING to one of my favorite people!
A horizon rainbow!

[TheOldLady]

Great! The APOD is still working well. Thats a lovely rainbow, and I’ve never seen the like before.

Thank you, my friend.

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha Little Devil; Steely eyed Downeaster, Guardian of Our Troops!

Thanks for the rainbow......haven't seen one even here since November last year. If you get my drift...

[ConorMacNessa]

Thanks so much for posting this - have never seen a horizon rainbow before. We need to take back the Rainbow from the LGBT's - it was a promise given to Noah in Genesis - not to those who thrust their perverted agenda upon us now!



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