fire rainbow
Ice-crystal spectrum phenomenon
A fire rainbow is a bright, horizontal band of spectral colors that appears in the sky when sunlight refracts through ice crystals in high cirrus clouds.
Despite the name, it has nothing to do with fire—the term comes from its flame-like appearance against the sky.
The technical name is circumhorizontal arc.
We spotted a fire rainbow stretching across the horizon.
Halo from ice crystals
- iridescenceColor shift from interference
- refractionWave bending between media
- diffractionWaves spreading past obstacles
- ice crystalsSolid water formations
prism · spectrum · dispersion · light waves · halo · sundog · spectral · luminous
High wispy ice formation
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
- high altitudeGreat distance upward
- celestialOf the sky above
- horizonApparent earth-sky meeting
aerial · skygazing · skywatching · weather · cloud formation · zenith · overhead · tropical
Intensely clear and bright
- chromaticRelating to color
- hueColor's specific character
- redPrimary color, warm
- orangeCitrus with segments
yellow · green · blue · violet · pastel · vibrant · saturation · brilliance
Passing very quickly
- ephemeralLasting very briefly
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- uncommonSeldom occurring or found
- infrequentHappening only occasionally
elusive · momentary · brief · seasonal · unique · bucket list · once in a lifetime · rare phenomenon
circumhorizontal arc
Halo from ice crystals
- iridescenceColor shift from interference
- refractionWave bending between media
- diffractionWaves spreading past obstacles
ice crystals · prism · spectrum · dispersion · light waves · halo · sundog · spectral · luminous · cirrus clouds
cirrus
High wispy ice formation
- atmosphereGaseous layer around planets
- high altitudeGreat distance upward
- celestialOf the sky above
horizon · aerial · skygazing · skywatching · weather · cloud formation · zenith · overhead · tropical · midday
vivid
Intensely clear and bright
orange · yellow · green · blue · violet · pastel · vibrant · saturation · brilliance · multicolored
fleeting
Passing very quickly
infrequent · elusive · momentary · brief · seasonal · unique · bucket list · once in a lifetime · rare phenomenon · timing
- phenomenanorthern lights, eclipse, earthquake, solar eclipse, volcanic eruption
- weather phenomenatornado, wind, hurricane, gust, blizzard
- light phenomenarefraction, diffraction, spectrum, prism, iridescence
- sky lightsnorthern lights, southern lights, sundog, sun dog, sun dogs
- sky opticssundog, halo, sun halo, lunar halo, corona
- rare phenomenaanomaly, rarity, oddity, phenomenon, aberration