Does anyone know what this was?

[Veritas]

Today as I was out and about, there was a strange phenomenon in the sky. It was this glorious cloud formation backlit by sunrays with magnificent brushstroke like rainbow colors swirling out both sides of it. I wish I could give you a better description or even a photo. I kept praying it would last long enough for me to get home and grab my camera to take a picture. I could then have dowloaded it for you. I'm hoping the local paper had a photographer on it and that it'll show up tomorrow's edition. I've seen the Nothern Lights before so I know it wasn't that. Has anyone seen this display before? All I could do was just praise God over and over. I don't think I was the only one. People everywhere were stopped just staring at the sky.

 

[TomUK]

No idea i'm afraid. I hope you can get hold of a picture though as it sounds beautiful (though to be honest photos can never really capture it).

What a great starting point for evangelism though!

 

[redMountian]

Today as I was out and about, there was a strange phenomenon in the sky. It was this glorious cloud formation backlit by sunrays with magnificent brushstroke like rainbow colors swirling out both sides of it. I wish I could give you a better description or even a photo. I kept praying it would last long enough for me to get home and grab my camera to take a picture. I could then have dowloaded it for you. I'm hoping the local paper had a photographer on it and that it'll show up tomorrow's edition. I've seen the Nothern Lights before so I know it wasn't that. Has anyone seen this display before? All I could do was just praise God over and over. I don't think I was the only one. People everywhere were stopped just staring at the sky.

Was it anything like this?:

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

Crepuscular rays are sunbeams that emerge from the "holes" between clouds, and they're really spectacular, photographers sometimes call them "God beams" because they look almost like we imagine angels looking down from heaven.

 

[Veritas]

Was it anything like this?:

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

Crepuscular rays are sunbeams that emerge from the "holes" between clouds, and they're really spectacular, photographers sometimes call them "God beams" because they look almost like we imagine angels looking down from heaven.

Nope. Sorry. It had brilliant colors like a rainbow but was not in the form of a rainbow. It was like brushstokes of color coming out of the cloud and swirling at the tips. I did find a photo of it at one of the local TV station sites, but it's been taken down. I really wish you all could see it. It was awe-inspiring!

 

[zhilan]

I saw that on the news. It was beautiful!

 

[faerieevaH]

What was it called on the news?

 

[Veritas]

I saw that on the news. It was beautiful!

Where? I know we all share the same sky, but I thought it was a local phenomenon.

 

[anawim]

Nope. Sorry. It had brilliant colors like a rainbow but was not in the form of a rainbow. It was like brushstokes of color coming out of the cloud and swirling at the tips. I did find a photo of it at one of the local TV station sites, but it's been taken down. I really wish you all could see it. It was awe-inspiring!

Sounds like you are describing the aurora borealis. How far north do you live?

 

[Veritas]

Sounds like you are describing the aurora borealis. How far north do you live?

Naw, it's not that either. I think it was a rare rainbow formation due to strange water droplets in the cloud. The prism effect was clearly there, but not in it's usual form. I think it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime things that happen when all the elements (clouds, sun and water drops or vapor) are present at a certain moment in a precise way. Only God could do it!

 

[Look Homeward Anglican]

Could it have been a sundog?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog

The pictures in the article I linked to do it no justice at all, and don't really resemble the actual thing very much. To me, it looks like a bright spot of light with a vertical rainbow wrapped around it. Before I knew their name I used to call them sunbows (because they were like rainbows, but up and down instead of side to side, and always when there was no rain.)

 

[St_Joseph_Cupertino]

In my very amateurish, and personal opinion, It sounds to me like it's a very moisture-laden cloud that moved in front of the Sun.
The idea of swirling rainbows makes me think of those whispy cloulds pieces being seperated from the main cloud body due to wind. But if the cloud is very moisture-laden, then shouldn't the moisture in the cloud edges be seperated enough from the main body to refract the sunlight shining through them and display the colour spectrum?

I soooo don't have any scientific evidence for this, and never heard of it before, just the only thing I can think of...

In Christ.

 

[Veritas]

Although Tom is correct when he says that pictures don't fully capture the essense of such phenomenon, this give you an idea.

Here is a link to other pics as well, 5 in all along with a story. It's called a "Cloud Irridescence" btw.

http://khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=4984444&nav=menu438_7_2

 

[queenanne]

Wow!!

 

[Veritas]

Apparently this is a very rare event and only happens in northern US and southern Canada. Instead of water to create the prism, the suns rays refract off of ice particles. Whatever. It's a marvelous display of God's handiwork.

 

[St_Joseph_Cupertino]

Instead of water to create the prism, the suns rays refract off of ice particles.

Ice Particles...wow! Thanks for the explination. I was soooo close!

In Christ.

 

[Veritas]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=389689&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=

It seems because of the rarity of the event, more research was done and now we know that it was called a "circumhorizon arc". I feel priviledged to have been a witness to this amazing phenomenon.

 

[anawim]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=389689&in_page_id=1770&in_a_source=

It seems because of the rarity of the event, more research was done and now we know that it was called a "circumhorizon arc". I feel priviledged to have been a witness to this amazing phenomenon.

Wow, that's not only pretty, it's amazing! Lucky you.

 

[eoe]

Beee yooooooo tee ful.

 

[TomUK]

Wow, that's beautiful! Wish i could've seen it.

 

[RedTulipMom]

amazing! even the pic looks amazing. i also watched the video clip! i could imagine how awesome it was to see in person. i bet your kicking yourself that you didnt have a camera for that!! wow!