Can anyone identify this for me?

[emmadoggy]

What is this phenomenon called and what is the explanation behind it?? I can't recall ever seeing anything like this before. This was taken at 1:45 pm today. My kids noticed it and brought it to my attention. It was very cool and beautiful!




Thanks!!

[karlrschneider]

1. Nice picture! I guess you're asking about the pink color on the clouds in the middle...?

They look to be altocirrus and there are probably rain showers behind the camera that are projecting a small bit of a rainbow onto them. You can see a little bit more of the spectrum, the blue and green below and to the left.
:D

[emmadoggy]

2. Thanks for the reply.

I figured it to be a rainbow sort of projection, but the thing that has me confounded is that there were no rain showers in the area today. :shrug:

[karlrschneider]

3. I didn't even know DU had a weather group, I just happened to notice it tonight!

Actually there doesn't need to be rain reaching the ground...often it evaporates while it falls but it still can make a rainbow (that wouldn't probably be seen from the ground.)

I'm a pilot and I've seen a lot of 'complete' rainbows, that is the 'full circle'. They're beautiful. :D

[emmadoggy]

4. LOL. I've only been in here a few times, but this unusual sighting today

compelled me to stop in again!

I've been doing some digging and came across this site.... http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org ... which has lots and lots of pics (very beautiful and cool pics) and many different categories for the pictures. It appears my pretty little cloud is simply called an Iridescent Cloud and they must not be extremely rare or anything because there were quite a few pictures of iridescent clouds. Though I must say, mine seems to have been a pretty darn good example judging from the other pics. It's funny, though, I'm generally pretty observant of clouds and weather (though not a true weather buff) and I truly can't say I've ever seen one of these before. I'm so glad my kids noticed it and pointed it out - I feel lucky to have seen such an unusual and beautiful thing (and to have captured it on "film"!).

Thanks for your info and comments, Karl!

:hi:

[texas1928]

5. Here is an explanation. From an e-mail I had.

CLOUDS HAVE TO BE CIRRUS, AT LEAST 20K FEET IN THE AIR, WITH JUST THE
RIGHT AMOUNT OF ICE CRYSTALS AND THE SUN HAS TO HIT THE CLOUDS AT PRECISELY 58 DEGREES.

They are called fire rainbows.

[jhain]

6. We always called them

Sun Dogs.

Is that what you have here???

If so, there will be another on the other side of the sun- usually one on the right and one on the left.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog

[HeeBGBz]

7. Isn't that a Sundog?

Not sure exactly. Pretty though.