A Scottish photographer has captured a rare photo of what is being nicknamed a "Fog Bow" (or fog rainbow!) over the snow-covered moors. Melvin Nicholson took the photo whilst out walking through Rannoch Moor, Scotland.
Nicholson spotted the colourless rainbow - made up of tiny water droplets that cause fog – earlier this week.
Explaining the rarity of a fog bow, he said it was an "amazing thing" to witness, explaining it can generally only be seen if the sun is behind you when are you looking at it:
As soon as I saw this wonderful isolated windswept tree, I knew that it had to be framed by the fog bow. Freshly fallen snow set the scene all around.
It was just beyond magical and one of those days that you'll remember for a long time to come.
Image used with permission of Melvin Nicholson.
Fog bows are formed in the same way as rainbows: when light is reflected inside tiny water droplets and emerges to form a large circle or arc of approximately 42°C centered on the opposite the sun. However, the difference stems from the water droplets in mist or fog being a lot finer, meaning light is no longer reflected within the drops; instead, the light is diffracted – making for a broader, paler, and whiter bow.
[via Daily Mail]
Wonderful image!
Nature photography, prime example of right place right time. Fantastic shot
Saying right place and right time for this shot is understatement ....
anybody can get lucky and be at the right place and the right time. What people should value here is the composition and post-processing of the photographer. It is superb !!! great image!
What a site! Something I'd love to see.
42°C? Uhhm...that would be rather tropical 😅. If you mean geometry instead of temperature, that arc seems to have rather 90° or so ...