Spectacular Lunar Rainbows, Also Known as Moonbows, Spotted at Yosemite Falls — See the Video!
Moonbows are a rare occurrence that can only be seen at night — and can be difficult to catch on camera
Rare lunar rainbows, also known as moonbows, were recently spotted at Yosemite Falls — and at least one photographer captured it on camera!
The lunar rainbows were filmed in a time lapse video on Wednesday, May 22 and Thursday, May 23, during the recent full moon, according to ABC affiliate KABC-TV.
A video from photographer Shreenivasan Manievannan showed the lunar rainbows forming in the mist, according to Storyful.
“This year the above average snow pack resulted in a good show of moonbows over the famous Yosemite Waterfall," said Manievannan.
Shreenivasan Manievannan/Storyful
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Moonbows are a rare occurrence that can only be seen at night, according to the BBC’s Sky At Night magazine. They can be difficult for humans to see, making the days surrounding a full moon the perfect time to seek them out.
Lunar rainbows form just like rainbows that appear in daylight. They can be seen when light from the sun is refracted through water droplets in the air, creating a spectacle of color.
Photos of previous moonbows have been taken at sites like Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Skogafoss Waterfall in Iceland and the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, per the BBC’s Science Focus magazine.
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Public interest in moonbows has been growing in recent years, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Brian Hawkins, a videographer from Redondo Beach, Calif., told the Times that those interested in catching a glimpse of the phenomenon should “prepare to be enthralled by the scene before you but also frustrated by how difficult it is to shoot.”
“A lot of things are working against you,” Hawkins explained, “it’s cold, it’s wet, the lens has to be dried off, you can’t use auto focus. You just have to be patient and work through solving all the problems.”
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However, those who have taken the time to seek out these moonbows say it is worth the wait.
“It’s such a rewarding experience,” photographer Anna Smits told the Times. “It really lights me up just thinking about sitting in the spray and watching this moonbow cross in front of you.”
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