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APOD: 2026 August 2 – A Fire Rainbow over West Virginia
A photograph from 2021 captures a circumhorizon arc, known as a fire rainbow, occurring when sunlight refracts through ice crystals in cirrus clouds.
Why it matters
Understanding these requirements helps observers identify and explain rare natural light displays in the sky.
The details
- The image was taken near North Fork Mountain in West Virginia.
- Visibility requires the Sun to be at least 58 degrees high.
- Flat hexagonal ice crystals must be aligned horizontally.
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