A Burning Passion for the Colors

"Mizu, I WILL see one this summer! I swear on it!"

So on the way home today, I was searching for a circumhorizontal arc. I have been everyday for the past month or so, but no luck.

I got home and scanned the skies again. Nothing.

After I greeted my injured sister who stayed home today, I went outside to look AGAIN.


Lo, to the south, there it was...


This is a circumhorizontal arc, more well-known as the fabled "fire rainbow." It wraps around the sky in a vivid band of color while the sun is overhead.

Now, most ice halos and parhelia are expected to be more common where it's cold, but this arc is actually more common the CLOSER you get to the equator.

The sun has to be AT LEAST 58° into the sky, pretty damn high, so they're most common in the summer months when the sun is higher than that 58° for more hours of the day. Due to this number, if you're too far from the equator, you won't be able to see it AT ALL.

We're close enough to the equator to see it in early spring!

If you live in a middle latitude and the sun's almost completely overhead, look out for this vibrant arc!

I managed to see it for myself, for I'm always on the search! I guess it's my burning passion for those colors in the sky...


~DaCyanWaffle123, 4/11/12