[Ultima (OP)]

YAY[] i saw a great big white ring/halo around the full(ish) moon last night. I think its caused by the moons reflected light being refracted through ice crystals high up in the air.... It was great especially since it was hanging over the sea at the time... Has anyone else seen some amasing optical effects in the sky??? I've once seen a double rainbow....

Has anyone seen the green flash at sunset, thats really rare.

wOw the world spins?

[neilep]

I've seen it once Matt and it was fantatstic...but happy to say I've seen quite a few double rainbows which are AMAZING....I'm a big Rainbow fan...and love watching natural phenomena...shooting starts are a treat too......I think as a Naked Scientist Website treat we should get those nice bods in Cambridge to take us all for a party to see the Aurora Borealis....happy watching.

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[Raedon]

My fav. optical illusion was in Upstate NY when it was -10 outside and clear.  The sun was about halfway up the sky (in the winter it never went overhead and it got dark at 4pm)  There was apparently a invisible cloud layer of ice crystals that made the sun halo out into two seperate suns attached by golden bans of refraction.

Like this only FAR more extreme..  It was awe inspiring!

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020114.html


It is good to be alive! It's impossible I'm here but here I am.. and I rock!

[Corbeille]

I've seen a complete circle rainbow, as the sun was rising and I was in a plane just taking off. Of Course all rainbows are complete circles, we only see the semi-circle because we are on the same level as the horizon. Being up a mountain can sometimes give a full-circle view of a rainbow.
I've also seen a meteorite coming down to earth. It became a big myth for UFO fanatics, accusing the government of a cover up. It was definitely a meteorite.  I was mad on astronomy when I was a kid and followed the Apollo program. I saw the moon landing on TV as it happened (or whenever it was broadcast just after) I was six years old and in awe of it all.
  Nice to see astronomy is looking up.


Nah pop no style, a strictly roots!

[tweener]

A few weeks ago I saw a triple rainbow.  It was raining me but the sun was shining in under the cloud.  The primary rainbow was extremely bright and I could see it in front of trees on the other side of the road.  When I got to a high place, I pulled out to watch and saw the secondary rainbow - pretty cool. Then it just kept getting better until I could see a third rainbow, spaced the same distance from the primary as the secondary, but on the other side and much more faint.  It was really amazing.

----
John - The Eternal Pessimist.

[Ylide]

There was a lunar eclipse over Colorado last night.  Maybe you were catching some weird light reflection off the earth or something.  

We busted out the telescope and watched the eclipse for a while, it was spiffy.

This message brought to you by The Council of People Who Are Sick of Seeing More People

[chris]

The second rainbow that you see should be a mirror image of the first - that is, the colours should be in the reverse order with respect to the first. The third rainbow would be a weaker version of the first again.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

[Sandwalker]

I thought there was only 2 refractive/reflective paths in a water droplet,(sun - droplet - eye) hence the double rainbow, but a triple, please explain!

[neilep]

quote:Originally posted by chris

The second rainbow that you see should be a mirror image of the first - that is, the colours should be in the reverse order with respect to the first. The third rainbow would be a weaker version of the first again.

Chris

"I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception"
 - Groucho Marx

Wow !!..next time I'll see a double I'll check it out...but...if its a mirror image would it then not be facing upwards ?

'Men are the same as women...just inside out !'

[Corbeille]

Wow !!..next time I'll see a double I'll check it out...but...if its a mirror image would it then not be facing upwards ?


[][][] chortle chortle.......





 Nah pop no style, a strictly roots!