Abstract
AN instance of this phenomenon, which is referred to as rare in NATURE (vol. vii. p. 68), occurred to-day, Feb. 22, 4.30 P.M. The sky was almost quite clear and a light shower of rain falling, caused one to look upwards for the clouds whence it proceeded, but the air was uniformly clear near the zenith, though bordering ihe horizon all round there were some detached cumuli, and a few thin filmy modifications higher in N.E. There were no visible signs of the origin of the falling drops. On turning round to east, a solar bow was seen, for the most part on a background of azure. It was a complete bow and moderately intense. Near the vertex it rested on thin clouds, as did the extremities on the horizon, but they had no sensible effect on the phenomenon, for it was observed that as they receded fiom the upper portion, the bow remained intact and equally bright in all its parts. The arms spanned areas of blue sky. It was very transient, like the shower, and fading rapidly, was gone within 10 sec. after it was first observed. At 4.45 P.M., the left side of an incomplete bow was seen in N.E. on clear sky, except at the lower extremity: no rain accompanied it. It was as evanescent as the first. The weather was very unsettled and showery with low barometer. Thermometer 50°, with brisk wind from W.S.W.—31/2 inches of rain had fallen during the previous 9 days.
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DENNING, W. Rainbow Projected on Blue Sky. Nature 13, 348 (1876). https://doi.org/10.1038/013348b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/013348b0
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