Tag Archives: Fire Rainbow

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Last Saturday, young Oly Perket saw fire in the blue sky. She wrote, “This was taken when Mom [Madeline Perket] and I were driving to Sebastopol.”

Oly photographed a beautiful atmospheric phenomenon called a circumhorizontal arc. They are often called fire rainbows, except they aren’t actual rainbows.  They are ice halos created when sunlight passes through high-altitude cirrus clouds.

Thanks to Oly for allowing me to share her photo with you here.

Foggy morning, sunny afternoon with temps in the 60's. It's the last day of spring!

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Eric Duff recently photographed the sky at Cooks Beach. He actually capture a  circumhorizontal arc, also sometimes called a fire rainbow, and a halo around the sun.

These are both formed because of ice crystals in the atmosphere. They refract and reflect the light. Very wonderful photo. Thanks to Eric for allowing me to share it with you here.

The fog pulled back and we are having a sunny, mild day on the coast. Much warmer weather for the holiday weekend.

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Ken Fischer saw this fire rainbow several weeks ago. He said it only lasted about two minutes.

Horizontal rainbow by Ken FischerFire rainbows are also called circumhorizontal arcs. These rainbows are caused by the refraction of the sun in ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.

Here's a larger one, which was taken by last year by Connie King.

A Circumhorizontal Arc, aka a Fire Rainbow by Connie KingA beautiful phenomenon to behold!

Thanks to Ken and Connie for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

No rainbows today - there is nothing but oh-so-blue sky here on the coast. It already feels like the holiday has begun!

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Jan Jewell spotted the Circumhorizontal Arc, also called a Fire Rainbow, a few weeks ago.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

A Common Raven can be seen flying by on the right. This phenomenon is caused by the refraction of sunlight in ice crystals found certain clouds, in particular cirrus clouds.

Here is another example of a fire rainbow, this one taken by Peggy Berryhill.

Fire Rainbow by Peggy BerryhillYes, there was beauty in the sky! Thanks to Jan and Peggy for allowing me to share their photos here with you.

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This fire rainbow, or more properly, a circumhorizontal arc, appeared and several coastal residents got a photo of it. Donna Woodbury photographed it from Anchor Bay Beach. In Donna's second photo the fire rainbow is at the bottom and a portion of the halo around the sun appears. A halo can often predict rain.

Fire Rainbow at Anchor Bay Beach by Donna Woodbury Halo around the sun and a fire rainbow at Anchor Bay Beach by Donna Woodbury

Connie King capture it from The Sea Ranch.

A Circumhorizontal Arc, aka a Fire Rainbow by Connie King

Peggy Berryhill only had her phone camera but she captured it too. She said the colors were much more vibrant that what her photo shows.

Fire Rainbow by Peggy Berryhill

And lastly Christina Chapman got this photo, which also shows the halo around the sun.

Halo around the sun and a fire rainbow by Christina Chapman

A circumhorizontal arc occurs when the sun is refracted through ice crystals.

Thanks to Donna, Connie, Peggy, and Christina for allowing me to share their photos with you here.