Cloudy with a chance of rainbow: iridescent clouds brighten the sky over parts of Victoria
Summary
Rainbow-colored clouds, called iridescent clouds, appeared over parts of Victoria, Australia. These clouds show colors when sunlight bends around ice crystals in high, cold clouds called cirrus clouds.Key Facts
- Iridescent clouds were seen in Melbourne suburbs including Mount Waverley and Caroline Springs.
- The phenomenon happens when sunlight bends (diffracts) around ice crystals in cirrus clouds.
- Cirrus clouds are high-altitude clouds made of ice crystals and appear in the coldest part of the atmosphere.
- Iridescent clouds show colors in irregular patterns due to diffraction, unlike rainbows which have neat color bands.
- These clouds are short-lived and often go unnoticed because they disappear quickly.
- Sun dogs are another sky phenomenon but appear as bright spots or pillars near the sun and are caused by water crystals at lower altitudes.
- Iridescent clouds form from ice crystals of similar size in newly formed clouds.
- The Bureau of Meteorology says iridescent clouds are not uncommon in Australia but rarely photographed.
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