- Fogbows are rarer than rainbows and require specific conditions to appear.
- Conditions for seeing fogbows include sun behind the observer, dense but not too dense fog, and correct atmospheric alignment.
- Fogbows form when tiny water droplets reflect light in a manner similar to rainbows.
What is a Fogbow?
A fogbow is an optical illusion that emerges more rarely than the common rainbow. According to Ilana Cherny, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, it requires precise alignment of both the sun and dense fog. The conditions have to be 'right in the Goldilocks spot'—not too sparse but not so thick that visibility is blocked.
Marie Johnson, who lives on a historic farm, witnessed this rare phenomenon first-hand one morning as she was heading into town to work. “Oh my God, look at that. It’s like a rainbow, but it’s white,” she says. The optical illusion, known as a fogbow, is rarer than a rainbow.
Formation of Fogbows
Fogbows form in specific atmospheric conditions, often seen during autumn and winter in southeastern Australia when tiny water droplets are suspended near the Earth's surface. This process is similar to cloud formation, where overnight cooling leads to air becoming saturated with moisture and eventually condensing into fog.
Dr. Kimberley Reid from the University of Melbourne notes that while fog itself may not be a major weather phenomenon, it can have significant societal impacts such as flight delays and car accidents. In December 2023, over 20 vehicles were involved in a multi-vehicle crash due to thick fog.
Other Optical Phenomena
In addition to fogbows, several other optical phenomena exist that can be observed under specific conditions. For instance, cloudbows, which appear higher up and are best viewed from an airplane, occur when sunlight interacts with cloud droplets in a similar manner to how it creates rainbows.
Glories, diamond dust, halos, and the famous double rainbow are also mentioned as examples of other intriguing optical effects. Fogbows, however, remain a rare spectacle that usually goes unnoticed by most people due to their localized nature.
Source: The Guardian
Green News
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