Posted on 12/27/2022 2:02:29 PM PST by MtnClimber
Explanation: Have you ever seen an entire rainbow? From the ground, typically, only the top portion of a rainbow is visible because directions toward the ground have fewer raindrops. From the air, though, the entire 360-degree circle of a rainbow is more commonly visible. Pictured here, a full-circle rainbow was captured over the Lofoten Islands of Norway in September by a drone passing through a rain shower. An observer-dependent phenomenon primarily caused by the internal reflection of sunlight by raindrops, the rainbow has a full diameter of 84 degrees. The Sun is in the exact opposite direction from the rainbow's center. As a bonus, a second rainbow that was more faint and color-reversed was visible outside the first.
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.
Good luck finding the pot of gold.
My son loves Astronomy. Sending this to him.
Didn’t know this could happen!
LOL!!!!
That is the coolest…
Flying in a helicopter over the jungle in Sumatra early ‘70s - rainbow ahead - suddenly it was a circle, all the colors visible and we were in the center of it. I stopped telling the story of my experience because no one believed it was true.
I was involved in remote oil exploration for Pertimina, the Indonesian Oil Co.
Nice to have it confirmed. ;-)
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No rainbow, Since it was drone footage during a rain shower, most likely it was a rain drop on the camera lens that refracted the light
The lens is vertical not flat. The drop would be dripping down or distorting in the air. I do not see that.
I once saw a rainbow and some jets flying through where they appeared in the sky and wondered if people in jets would be able to see more of a rainbow if they were correctly positioned, and now I know :D
That mass of rock in the middle…..
It has two eyes…..
It’s a mountain troll!
Quick! Drink some whiskey!
I have seen the same thing from a helicopter over Kauai.
So yes, I believe you.
Circular rainbows are quite common when flying. I’ve seen them a number of times during my career in military aviation.
Actually, it is physics, not astronomy.
The rainbow is created by light shining on each raindrop which then acts as a prism.
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