News

Beautiful! RAINBOW cloud seen over Gauteng [photos]

Residents of Gauteng witnessed a rare phenomenon yesterday, 7 December, when a rainbow cloud was spotted in the sky. Take a look…

Rainbow clouds were spotted over Gauteng on Wednesday, 7 December. Image: Nikita le Roux, Sascha Steenberg; Lane Roos/ Vox weather Facebook page / unsplash

By: Michelle Swart

Residents of Gauteng were treated to a special surprise on 7 December when a rainbow cloud was spotted in several areas.

Photos of this phenomenon were widely shared on social media, and many people were ecstatic to see such a rare beauty.

Rainbow clouds were spotted over Gauteng on Wednesday, 7 December. Image: Gauteng Weather Facebook page.

WHAT ARE RAINBOW CLOUDS?

A rainbow cloud can form because of a phenomenon known as cloud iridescence.

It most commonly occurs in altocumulus, cirrocumulus, lenticular, and cirrus clouds. Iridescent clouds form because of diffraction, which occurs when small water droplets or ice crystals scatter the sun’s light.

This is a rare phenomenon.

For this to happen, clouds must be thin and contain many small water droplets or ice crystals.

When this happens the sun’s rays only collide with a few droplets at a time.

Because of this, semi-transparent or newly formed clouds are likely to have iridescence.

Rainbow clouds were spotted over Gauteng on Wednesday, 7 December. Image: Gauteng Weather Facebook page.

ALSO READ: SEE: Hail and heavy rain BATTER parts of Johannesburg

DIFFERENT TYPES OF RAINBOWS

Many people are unaware that, aside from the typical rainbow seen after a rainstorm, there are numerous other types of rainbows.

  • Fogbow – A fogbow is a type of rainbow that occurs when sunlight passes through fog or a small cloud. The fog’s moisture droplets work to distort the light.
  • Lunar – Another unusual sight is a lunar rainbow (also known as a “moonbow”). This occurs on the moon during a lunar month.
  • Multiple Rainbows – Multiple, or double, rainbows are one of the rarest forms. They happen when several rainbows form at the same time in the same location.
  • Twinned – A twinned rainbow is also an uncommon sight. Even though they share a common base, two rainbows are formed, one primary and one secondary. Both rainbows’ colors are seen in the same order.
  • Full circle – Rainbows are typically semicircular in shape. However, a full-circle rainbow can occasionally be seen.
  • Supernumerary bows – These are yet another uncommon type of bow. It appears as a secondary band within primary rainbows. This type is formed when sunlight strikes drop of water 1 millimeter or smaller in size.
The South African

The South African is an independent, impartial, and fact-driven online news platform. Visit TheSouthAfrican.com for all the latest news, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle stories from South Africa and around the world.

Recent Posts

Who are the most-capped Springboks in Test rugby?

Discover the names of the seven players who have played more over 100 Tests in…

12 months ago

Springboks trophy tour bus crashes in the Eastern Cape

The Springbok branded Tour bus was involved accident that happened on Monday while the vehicle was travelling from…

12 months ago

Several SEVERE weather alerts issued for the country from TODAY

Shorts and slops or an umbrella? Here's what the weather holds for every province in…

1 year ago

Guinness World Records: Largest LEGO® brick playing card

The largest LEGO® brick playing card is 3.69 m X 2.59 m (12 ft 1…

1 year ago

Joke of the day: Stocking up on green beans – 16 October 2023

Laughter is the best medicine they say and South Africans certainly could do with a…

1 year ago

WEATHER: Severe thunderstorms, winds, heavy rain and HAIL to hit these parts of SA

Shorts and slops or an umbrella? Here's what the weather holds for every province in…

1 year ago