Upside down rainbow spotted over East Lancashire (From Lancashire Telegraph)
When news happens, text LT and your photos and videos to 80360. Or contact us by email or phone.
Upside down rainbow spotted over East Lancashire
6:30pm Wednesday 1st September 2010 in News
PEOPLE across East Lancashire could hardly believe their eyes when they looked up and saw an upside- down rainbow.
The circumzenithal arc, to give it its official title, was visible for at least an hour over Burnley, Padiham, and parts of Hyndburn, on Tuesday.
Rainbows occur by light passing through raindrops, causing a spectrum of different colours to appear. But the circumzenithal arc is created by light passing through ice crystals.
These crystals are part of cirrus clouds, which are thin, wisp-like strands that lie between nine and 10 miles high in the sky.
Unlike normal rainbows, only a quarter of the multi-coloured arc is formed, as opposed to a full rainbow.
A spokesman for the Met Office said: “It is considered a halo phenomenon and when someone sees one it is quite a sight.
"It is quite unusual and they don’t usually stay for very long.”
Although it is not unusual to have high cirrus clouds in summer, as the troposphere is actually higher when it is warmer, it is unusual to spot the arcs as they appear so high in the sky.
The arc was visible from Church, near Accrington, where it was spotted by 62-year-old Cecilia Collard. She said: “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, I’d never seen a rainbow like this before.
"I saw it around 3pm and it was there for at least an hour. It was an amazing sight.”
UPSIDE DOWN: The picture sent in by Julie Walker
Comments(11)
pocketdragon
says...
7:35pm Wed 1 Sep 10
Bet some smart brain will be looking for the yellow brick road at the end of it...
slammer
says...
8:22pm Wed 1 Sep 10
Instead of a pot of gold, perhaps you get a cup of pound coins.
chucke.
Inter-Rossiter
says...
12:21pm Thu 2 Sep 10
I've just wasted a 30 seconds of my lunch break reading this garbage.
CliveE
says...
6:27pm Thu 2 Sep 10
n you "wasted" more of your break by signing in and commenting on something that you claim is a waste of time.
loopylass
says...
6:35pm Thu 2 Sep 10
Inter-Rossiter wrote:no one asked ya too, why comment on summat if ya think its garbage?, i think ya do need sectioning....haha
Think I need sectioning. I've just wasted a 30 seconds of my lunch break reading this garbage.
mikebuk
says...
9:37pm Thu 2 Sep 10
Evil, wicked !
defective typewriter
says...
1:27pm Fri 3 Sep 10
somewhere under the rainbow
Mike Costa
says...
2:09pm Fri 3 Sep 10
I could hardly believe my eyes.
defective typewriter
says...
4:16pm Fri 3 Sep 10
parents beware when you buy your kid a majick set. ABRACADABRA.
Ken Shuffles
says...
3:13pm Sun 5 Sep 10
More News stories
- Hacking probe prompts Lancashire Police to rethink gifts policy
- Thieves in third raid on Bacup horse riding school
- Brierfield man jailed for attack on pair with epilepcy
- Blackburn chippy 'batters' opposition to win chip award
- 43 arrests in crackdown on East Lancashire burglaries
- Extra training for prison officers in wake of Barry Morrow death
- Former Rossendale MP is new Grand Master of Freemasons
- Peacocks shops to close in East Lancashire
- Housing plan for Great Harwood crime-hit pub site
anstonowls says...
6:56pm Wed 1 Sep 10