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!
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?
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"?