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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.kootenay-lake.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/glorycloudbow241103s.jpg\")
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Most of the postings I have made have been from the ground level, and those are often of animals. This is more a consequence of opportunity than narrow interest. But, now and then I can glance at our region from above the clouds. This is not just for the wider field of view, but for the things that are only possible to see by looking down, than by looking up. These are the directional things seen opposite the sun when looking down particularly on clouds.<\/p>\n
Things seen can be are loosely grouped by whether you are looking down on water clouds, ice clouds, haze, or clear air. Yesterday, I looked down on some water clouds and briefly saw both a cloudbow and a glory. These are at their best when the cloud drops are uniform in size and this was accomplished by flying over a wave cloud. (There was also a faint shadow of the airplane.)\u00a0<\/p>\n
The cloudbow (left and right side of picture) is easiest to understand. It is about the size of a standard rainbow (about 42\u00b0 in radius), but unlike the standard rainbow, the colours are faint due to the diffraction in the smallish cloud drops. Just to the inside of the cloud bow there are fainter supernumerary bows.<\/p>\n
At the centre of the bow (and centre of the picture) is the much smaller, but brighter, glory. It can be quite colourful with multiple rings if the drops are really uniform. However, in the present view about all that is seen is a small bright circle with a slight horizontal line through it. This line is the shadow of the plane (and so this is the antisolar point).<\/p>\n
A fish-eye view out the window of a commercial airplane leaving Castelgar. The cloudbow and supernumerary bow are seen on the left and right side. The glory and (slight) shadow are seen in the centre of the picture.
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Most of the postings I have made have been from the ground level, and those are often of animals. This is more a consequence of opportunity than narrow interest. But, now and then I can glance at our region … Continue reading