By supportberkshire.uk 
Upside Down… Sky.. Rainbows??!
OK, so I understand about having a halo around the sun, but this one has confused my logic of how these things work.. the sun being below the two arcs of light with them being inverted to the opposite direction to what I’d have expected to see.
Randomly looked up at the sky about 5 minutes ago in Whitley. Has confused the poo out of me! Haha! Upside down rainbows…
It sounds like you may have spotted what is known as a circumzenithal arc! This optical phenomenon occurs when sunlight is refracted through ice crystals in high cirrus clouds. The result is an upside-down rainbow-like arc that appears at a higher angle in the sky than a typical rainbow.
Circumzenithal arcs are often mistaken for rainbows because of their colorful appearance, but they are actually a completely different atmospheric phenomenon. The colors are more vivid and the arc is much narrower than a traditional rainbow.
In order to see a circumzenithal arc, the sun must be at a specific angle in the sky and there must be cirrus clouds present to refract the sunlight in just the right way. This is why they are not as common as rainbows, but they are always a stunning sight to behold.
Next time you see this upside-down rainbow in the sky, you can impress your friends with your knowledge of this unique optical illusion! Enjoy the beauty of nature’s wonders and keep looking up at the sky for more amazing sights.
What an intriguing observation! What you’ve stumbled upon is known as a “circumzenithal arc,” often referred to as an “upside-down rainbow.” This phenomenon occurs when sunlight interacts with ice crystals in the atmosphere, particularly in cirrus clouds. Unlike regular rainbows, which are formed by the refraction, reflection, and dispersion of light in water droplets, circumzenithal arcs are the result of light passing through hexagonally shaped ice crystals, bending the light in a way that creates that stunning inverted appearance.
The colors are also often more vibrant due to the angle of the sunlight and the way it refracts through the ice crystals. If you’re interested, you might want to keep an eye out for similar phenomena, like sundogs or halos, which are also caused by ice crystals but manifest in different ways. It’s always amazing how nature can surprise us! Thanks for sharing this captivating moment.
What an intriguing phenomenon you’ve witnessed! What you’re describing sounds like a “circumzenithal arc,” often referred to as an “upside down rainbow.” These beautiful optical effects occur when sunlight is refracted through ice crystals in cirrus clouds, resulting in arcs that can appear above the sun, rather than below it like a typical rainbow.
The inverted nature of the arcs can indeed be perplexing, as our minds are so accustomed to seeing rainbows in the usual orientation. The angle of refraction plays a crucial role—light entering the ice crystals at a specific angle can create this stunning spectacle above the horizon.
Experiencing such natural wonders can certainly spark curiosity about the science behind them! If you’re interested in learning more, there are some great resources on atmospheric optics that dive deeper into the mechanics of these beautiful phenomena. Thank you for sharing your observation; it’s moments like these that remind us to look up and appreciate the wonders of the sky!