Atmospheric Phenomena

Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

The 360-degree Rainbow

Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 8:18 PM GMT on April 14, 2005

+11

Most people don't realize it, but a rainbow is actually a full circle. You usually can't see the full circle, since half of the rainbow lies beneath the horizon, where it is not raining. After all, there is no weather underground. However, if one is in an airplane or overlooking a waterfall, the 360-degree rainbow can be seen. I know--I have seen them twice from research airplanes that were flying through rain showers. Check out the 360-degree rainbow image at the bottom. Note that there is a separate optical phenomena, called a glory (caused by diffraction), surrounding the shadow of the airplane. Unfortunately, I only had a 23mm wide angle lens, and could not capture the entire 360-degree rainbow. To my knowledge, no one has captured a photograph of a full NATURAL 360-degree rainbow. You can easily photograph one using a sprinkler, as this photographer has done here.



I challenge all you wunderphotographers to capture a 360-degree rainbow image in rain or waterfall mist. First photographer to post such a natural 360-degree rainbow image wins a free 2-year wunderground.com membership!

360-degree rainbow (JeffMasters)

A rainbow is not a half-circle, but a full circle, as this photo taken from NOAA's P-3 Orion weather reseach aircraft demonstrates. A rain shower beneath the aircraft allowed me to see the entire circle of the rainbow, although the 23-mm wide angle lens was not quite wide enough to capture the entire circle.

Categories: Atmospheric Phenomena

 

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As a pilot I have seen this phenomena many times including sometimes while riding on commercial airlines when the sun angle is right so you can actually see it. Usually if the sun is above you or to the side if you look for the shadow of the plane on the ground often you will also see this rainbow around the shadow of the plane.