Incredibly Rare Moonbows Appear in the Night Sky

We're most familiar with rainbows shooting through the sky on rainy days but have you ever had the rare pleasure of seeing a moonbow at night? Spotted first at So Super Awesome, and similar to a fire rainbow, a moonbow is a colorful optical phenomenon in the sky that strays from the customary rainbow. What separates a moonbow from other variations of rainbows is that it only occurs under specific circumstances under the moonlight.

For the best chances of viewing a moonbow, which also goes by the alternative names lunar rainbow and space rainbow, the moon needs to be at its brightest and lowest against a dark and rainy winter night sky. The closer to a full moon, the better your chances are, though its appearance is also time-sensitive. Even when these explicitly detailed requirements are fulfilled, there's only a 2 to 3 hour window to view the unique occurrence that typically takes place just before sunrise. Luckily a selection of photographers, some of which chase after these sort of elemental phenomenons, have captured their uncommon materialization.

Top photo by Colin Blackburn


Photo by Pierre Lesage


Photo by Martin McKenna


Photo by Garry Schlatter


Photo by Andrew Bretherick


Photo by J Carlos Villasante


Photo by gi-el


Photo by VerseVend


Photo by Jo Bradford


Photo by Shad Giordano

via [So Super Awesome]

Pinar

Pinar Noorata is the Managing Editor at My Modern Met. She is a writer, editor, and content creator based in Brooklyn, NY. She earned her BA in Film and Media Studies from CUNY Hunter College and is an alumni of the Center for Arts Education’s Career Development Program in NYC. She has worked at major TV, film, and publishing companies as well as other independent media businesses. When she isn’t writing, editing, or creating videos herself, Pinar enjoys watching movies, reading, crafting, drawing, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
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