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Astronomy/Mysterious Rainbow?
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Question
Hello.
A few days ago, my family and I witnessed a strange patch of rainbow in the clouds. It wasn't the normal arc rainbow, just a small elliptical patch with the colours of the visible spectrum. Would you happen to know how to identify this for me? (Sorry, we couldn't get a picture) -Ethel T.
Ethel.
Its called a Sundog. Sometimes they appear on both sides of the Sun. Caused by some thin Cirrus clouds. Those clouds are about 6 - 8 miles up and are made of ice crystals. Its 70 degrees below zero up there! When the suns light hits the ice crystals, they act like millions of tiny prisms and break up the white light into its seven component colors; Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. Known in the science field as Roy G. Biv :)
Steve
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Answers by Expert:
Steven LJ Russo
Expertise
As a space science educator in a planetarium, my work centers around teaching people about the night sky and the solar system. I have a strong background in those areas, plus the history of NASA and spaceflight, and meteorology.
Experience
Experience in the area. I have been an amateur astronomer for 47 years, and have been teachng space science in planetariums for 34 years. For 15 years I was a radio and television meteorologist, and for the past 20 years I have been a space science writer for two newspapers in New York State. I am a member of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society and the International Planetarium Society. I have had a number of articles published in several astronomy journals, including "The Constellation" and the "Planetarian". Education/Credentials. I hold a B. S. from Wagner College and an M. S. from State University of New York at Oswego. Awards and Honors. I have been awarded the "Fellows" award from the International Planetarium Society for more than 20 years of continuous service in the planetarium field.
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