Skyscape

[Chocky]

This rainbow was right accross the sky in in a sort of Horizontal arc of a ring like you would see it from am aircraft. It was most strange

[Chocky]

Apparently this is a phenomenon called a Circumzenithal arc (CZA) And they are always upside down. it arises from refraction of sunlight through horizontally-oriented ice crystals,generally in cirrus clouds, rather than from raindrops.

Unfortunately this photo has a lot of lower clouds in front impairing it's clarity

Circumzenithal arc - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Catherine]

That's very interesting, Beryl! Really clever of you to film it - then find out what it was!

[Chocky]

Yes Thanks Catherine .
It's quite fascinating and they are not often seen as they are so high

[ladylouise62]

I've never heard of that... and well done for catching it - it's hard to get any rainbow, let alone an upside down one

[Chocky]

Thanks Louise
They are rarely seen as they don't last long . I have seen a few that are side arced but most are upside down so to speak and the colours a re much brightr as they don't overlap due to the ice crystals as apposed to droplets of rain
Just a pity about the lower clouding