a weird rainbow
April 4, 2005 6:16 PM Subscribe
On a recent flight, I saw a weird circular 'rainbow' around the shadow of the plane (on a cloud). What's the physics behind this?
Sometimes I could see the 'rainbow' even before I could see the shadow, it was like a halo. The clouds were mostly irregular and white, ie non-water bearing.
Sometimes I could see the 'rainbow' even before I could see the shadow, it was like a halo. The clouds were mostly irregular and white, ie non-water bearing.
Ya know...those google links are actually pretty useless.
Now I have to do some real research, dammit.
*scrounges around intertron for a while*
Aha! Here ya go. Not much physics, though...hmm.
Yes! Score! Physics! Boring shit! All about plane rainbows.
More cool stuff about planes and stuff in the sky that is pretty and can only be seen from planes.
*goes back to world of warcraft*
posted by Baby_Balrog at 6:28 PM on April 4, 2005
Now I have to do some real research, dammit.
*scrounges around intertron for a while*
Aha! Here ya go. Not much physics, though...hmm.
Yes! Score! Physics! Boring shit! All about plane rainbows.
More cool stuff about planes and stuff in the sky that is pretty and can only be seen from planes.
*goes back to world of warcraft*
posted by Baby_Balrog at 6:28 PM on April 4, 2005
Narg! Scooped! I hate that.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 6:28 PM on April 4, 2005
posted by Baby_Balrog at 6:28 PM on April 4, 2005
They're also called "glories". My husband put together a nice little page on them here: glories.
Damnit, scooped by eideteker on "glory", but I'll let my link stand anyway. I've never heard the term "pilot's halo" before, btw. Interesting.
posted by livii at 6:29 PM on April 4, 2005
Damnit, scooped by eideteker on "glory", but I'll let my link stand anyway. I've never heard the term "pilot's halo" before, btw. Interesting.
posted by livii at 6:29 PM on April 4, 2005
Best answer: Also check out Astronomy Picture of the Day (or "APOD"), they cover this, and many similar phenomena, with a good photo and explanation, with crosslinked and searchable archives, and something new to see every day. A lot of people I know who have little interest in astronomy still visit this page religiously because the photos and topics are so often just, well... damn cool. :)
posted by -harlequin- at 6:42 PM on April 4, 2005
posted by -harlequin- at 6:42 PM on April 4, 2005
Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I checked all the links and now I have something to look forward to on every flight :)
posted by dhruva at 7:05 PM on April 4, 2005
posted by dhruva at 7:05 PM on April 4, 2005
You can observe a similar phenomenon on a smaller scale without leaving the ground. Take a walk early in day when the sun isn't much higher than 45-degrees above the horizon and find a dewy lawn to cast your shadow on. Look at your shadow's head and you should see a halo around it.
posted by pmbuko at 12:24 AM on April 5, 2005
posted by pmbuko at 12:24 AM on April 5, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
Let google do the rest.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 6:21 PM on April 4, 2005