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Skies Over Oella

Look up and you may see something unexpected.

 
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Sometimes called an "upside-down smile," this circumzenithal arc was spotted over Oella Wednesday morning.
Photos (3)

Photos

Sometimes called an upside down rainbow, circumzenithal arcs are "reverse rainbows," centered around the sky directly overhead -- the zenith.

The arcs are called reverse rainbows because the colors are the opposite of those seen in a rainbow; violet is on the inside of the arc and red is on the outside.  

As opposed to a rainbow, where sunlight is refracted through raindrops, the colors in a circumzenithal arc are refracted through of six-sided ice crystals and are typically visible when it's colder outside.

This picture was snapped over Oella at about 8:10 a.m. The arc will disappear if conditions change or once the sun reaches an altitude higher than 32 degrees. 

So go look up!

Related Topics: Circumzenithal arc

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Brandie Jefferson

9:58 am on Wednesday, July 11, 2012

I think it's kind of unusual to see one of these in the middle of summer. I usually see them in the fall. Did anyone else see?

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Elizabeth Janney

4:48 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012

This is so cool! I didn't see it so am glad you got pictures. Thank you! Did you make a Youtube video--the sequel to "Double Rainbow"?

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