BS: We saw a lunar rainbow

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Joybell
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 05:19 PM

Beetle, How great! Do be careful! We flightless mortals need you to tell us about such wonders. I wonder what birds make of this? They have good colour vision.

Bob, Spend a bit more time among the flowers. The boring old whitish ones, and report back. We'll explain it to your friends. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Fred (Beetle) Bailey
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 11:51 AM

For the small airplane freaks out there ---
Fly low above a flat deck of stratus with a good sun above you --
The shadow of your airplane will be surrounded by a full 360 degree rainbow -- truly beautiful -- heading into the wind and practicing your slow flight can prolong the view, but my attempt at photography failed miserably -- any advice from experts? It's VERY bright and some filters or some such might do it.
Oh yes, in controlled airspace you're in violation of the 1,000 ft.above regulation.

-- the folkie flight instructor --

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 02:56 AM

G'day Joybell,

I did flick back through my Astronomy Photo of the Day archives ... but didn't find the "Glory" from a jet (looked like what what David Ingerson described ... but with the shadow of a jetliner projected on the clouds. I guess it was a while back ...

The "dog" in 'rain dog' also somehow suggests that the second rainbow is, somehow, "chasing" the rain back ... I should wade into my Australian National Dictionary (Oxford UP, 1988) to trace the term back.

The "Bee Purple" that experimenters have shown to be an important visual signal to bees is pretty much 'close UV' ... just beyond normal human vision. I guess the flower evolved to signal the bees - without those damn monkeys picking up the signal and spoiling the pollination. I don't think I have any noticeable sensitivity to it ... but have never set out to test it!

I did read that, during WW II, some intelligence signalling was done in occupied areas using close UV frequencies ... and that it was visible to coast watchers whose cataracts had been surgically removed. I don't know if that meant they had to see the unfocussed flashes ... as the thick glass in their spectacles would tend to absorb most of the UV. I must ask Richard Evans (concertina-maker and repairer) whether his (much thinner) implanted lenses, post-cataract, lead to any change at that end of the spectrum ... although I guess they would try to use lens materials that minimised UV - to protect the rest of the eye.

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Joybell
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 05:19 PM

Hello Bob, Yes "The Glory" is "Heiligenschein" (Holy shine), I believe. The site open mike gave - http://www.spaceweather.com - is a beauty. It shows all kinds of rainbows. Your "secondary rainbow" is called, on this site, either just that or a "double rainbow". Dog makes sense though, as in following something, doesn't it?

Bee Purple is a colour bees can see that we humans can't. It's the colour of some flowers. I just wondered if perhaps you had a few bee genes. I don't think it's known just which other creatures, if any, can see it. True-Love has always yearned to see Bee Purple.
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: dianavan
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 05:05 PM

This is what I saw in Mazatlan at Christmas:

physics.weber.edu/ carroll/europa/evidence.htm

The colours on the outer rim were more defined than in the photo.

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 01 Jan 05 - 01:35 AM

G'day again,

David Ingerson: I think that phenomenon is called "The Glory". I have noticed some discussion of the effect, which seems to require you to be slightly elevated above the sun on the horizon - and in mist or light cloud haze, on the Astronomical Photo of the Day (APoD) ) site. If you search back, a year or so, for "Glory" you may find a mountaineer's example ... as well as one photographed from a jet airliner.

Joybell: Im not sure what Bee Purple is, when it's at home ... maybe I should do some googling about for it!

mike in st c: I don't know if your "moon dogs" and "sun dogs" relate in any way to what I have always called a "rain dog" ... that is, a secondary rainbow - said to mean that the rain has not really finished and more will follow (sort of" "Cancel that first rainbow ... ?).

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Joybell
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 06:26 PM

Just began a journey into the sites given above by open mike. Wonderful!!
It seems moon dogs are seen when you look towards the moon. We had the moon behind us. Ours was a lunar rainbow (moonbow) alright.
We'll keep a look out for moon dogs and sun dogs now though. Lots of other strange and beautiful optical weather things to see.

Lady Jean making your own rainbows is such a thrill isn't it.

dianavan, We often see moon halos but never rainbow ones. That must have been wonderful.

Guest David, your shadow glow is mentioned on one of those sites - (I think that's what they mean) as "Heiligenschein".

Bob, Can you see BEE PURPLE? True-Love has always wondered about bee purple. Cheers Joy

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: dianavan
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 05:23 AM

I saw a halo around the moon on Christmas Eve. When I looked closely, I could see all the colours of the rainbow. I was on the beach at Mazatlan. It wasn't quite a full moon.

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: LadyJean
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 12:40 AM

The only time I ever regretted learning to drive was when I saw a double rainbow on a wet, miserable Monday. I was behind the wheel, and my eyes stay on the road when I'm driving. So, I could only take short glimpses at stoplights.
I was a secetary, many years ago, ( I can't type and he couldn't pay. It was an interesting arrangement.) I had a pair of crystal earrings I was wearing, and they made rainbows on my keyboard.

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Joybell
Date: 30 Dec 04 - 11:39 PM

Bill and Mr & Mrs Cobble, We figured people would think we were mad too. That's why I only told my Mudcat friends and a few selected others. If we're ever invited to supper with aliens I might not tell though.

David your personal rainbow sounds amazing!

open mike, thanks I'll take a long look at those sites.

mike in st c. I must look into the moon dog and cat idea.

Tarheel!! What an amazing rainbow! I'm into copying and pasting so I found it OK. Never have mastered blue clickies - I'll keep praticing. ALSO you and my True-Love share a birthday date. I peeked at your photo. Reckon you might even be twins of a sort. He was born in 1938. Cheers Joy

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: mike_in_st_c
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 11:59 PM

When I lived in Winnipeg (Canada) we saw "sun dogs" quite often--when it got arctic in temperature. I guess what you may have seen is a "moon dog/cat". I remember as well seeing northern lights (aurora borealis) on a somewhat regular basis, didn't matter if I knew the scientific cause and effect, they always filled me with awe and wonder. I recall in '84 I was warmed and awestruck just gawking at the heavenly display. I too am red/green color blind...scored only 50% on a lantern test for the Canadian Air Force...but I still see color. So it may not be what others "see", but that's a different story. The meteorological/astronomical displays are still magic for me ;-]

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: open mike
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 10:48 PM

I am glad to hear that you had such a wonderful moment together!
sweet! keep taking those walks! and when indoors you can look here:
for more info about sundogs, moondogs, northern (or southern) lights, http://www.spaceweather.com/ has info, links, galeries, etc.
more here: http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/atoptics/phenom.htm
also here: http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/rainbows/bows.htm
and here: http://www.sundog.clara.co.uk/rainbows/moonbow.htm
http://science.nasa.gov/

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: tarheel
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 10:44 PM

joybell,take a look at thius huge rainbow that i took a photo of on my birthday,october 17th,1999!
(if you can make a blue linky here,it will help!)
http://groups.msn.com/TarsJournal/tarheelsalbum.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=21
the photo and story are in the photo album there!
enjoy!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Mrs Cobble
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 07:30 PM

Same here Bill , people we told about the silver moonbow said we were mad or drunk! Cobble might have had one or two but I hadn't! It was a very magical sight.
Mrs C

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: GUEST,David Ingerson
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 07:11 PM

Thanks, Joybell, for sharing your experience. Didn't know they existed. I'll be keeping my eyes open for them now.

Atmoshperic optical phenomona are amazing and pretty special experiences. I've looked often for the green flash at sunset over the ocean but have never seen it. Rainbows--many here in western Oregon; auroras--a few faint ones.

But once at the summit of a high hill, with dense clouds a few meters away on one side and the sun on the other, I saw a "rainbow" encircling the shadow of my head in the cloud! All the colors in a circle starting from the edge of the shadow of my head and broken only by the shadow of my neck. I understand that mountaineers have a name for it, but I've forgotten it.

An awe-inspiring sight!

David

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: bill\sables
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 06:43 PM

A few years ago the fiddler John Carey and myself were driving between Newcastle and Carlisle in the North of England. There was light drizzle as we drove along the Hexham ByPass and we both saw a lunar rainbow. It was a full arc across the western sky and most of it was a silvery colour but where the town lights of Hexham reflected into the sky there was a hint of pale colours. Most of the people I told about this seemed to think I was mad, and perhaps I am, but we did see one.
Bill

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 06:00 PM

not quite a moonbow..but

we used to see Sun-dogs in winter on the Canadian prairies quite often.
sort of looks like a semi rainbow on either side of the sun
with a bright reflection halfway up each rainbow.

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Joybell
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 05:29 PM

Sceptic, I actually like the term Lunar Rainbow best, slipped into the other for variety I think. None of us invented Moonbow though, as *daylia* points out. Lunar Rainbow seems to describe it best.

tarheel, Thanks! That's just how it is in the moonlight. True-Love first saw the Northern Lights from just North of your home, I think. He was born in Missouri. Raised in Iowa. It must have been nearly 60 years ago.

Bob, well that's interesting about colour vision. We didn't do fun experiments like that at Preston Girls' High. I can see colour differences in stars too. Thought everyone could. I've always known that I see colours in a different way to True-Love but I've come to expect that. Sometimes when I wear dark redish-purple he sees it as a dull grey. Sad.

WELCOME cryptoanubis!!!
WOW!! a new Mudcatter just slipped in! And from nearby!
Welcome and it's great you came in. There are very special people here. It's a wonderful place. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Kim C
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 12:37 PM

Well then apparently Cumberland Falls, KY is NOT the "only place in the world you can see a moonbow"!

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Cobble
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 10:51 AM

Mrs C and myself saw a moonbow on Skye a few years ago, pure silver the stuff of celtic legends, we were only a few yards off where it started.

       Cobble

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 10:04 AM

I saw a halo around the moon on Christmas Eve but no moonbows. And though I went to Alaska I have never seen the Northern Lights. Something to look forward to - thank you, Joy.

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: *daylia*
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 09:02 AM

Thanks, Joybell - don't think I've ever seen a moonbow! And yes, they are called 'moonbows', Sceptic .... Lookie here .... and here!

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: GUEST,Sceptic
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 06:32 AM

Joybell ... ?

Who thought up Moonbow? - That makes the regular daytime one a Sunbow!

Idiots the lot of you!

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 06:23 AM

G'day Joybell,

I think latitude and atmospheric conditions don't favour warm (OK ... hot!) and smoggy Sydney. I remember moonbows as pretty common during the late 1960s, when I lived down south in Hobart ... sometimes I pick up just a hint of moon colours up here, nowadays, but others don't see much.

(Dad always noted that I also picked up star colours he couldn't see ... as did my mother. I also was tested for spectral vision way back in a high school science class... and could split colours at the blue end of the spectrum that others could not ... so I tend to think everyone else is colourblind ... always was a problem when checking colour balances in other photographers' printing!)

Regards,

Bob

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: hesperis
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 09:00 PM

What a beautiful moment... thanks for sharing it with us even in text!

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: tarheel
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 08:34 PM

barry,i witnessed the Northern Lights,once in my lifetime,too!
i was in missouri,near kanss city,at the home of my wife's folks!
actually ,it was a farm of 240 acres out in the boonies,then!
anyway, it was night time and the phone rand and a neighbor called(the nearest one was 1/2 mile away then)and told us to look outside!
i have been an amatuer astronomer since grade school and i finally got to see the Northern lights...it was spectacular as well as erie...
and the farm folks?...lol, i remember my wife's dad saying,"aww,it's just the sun reflecting off that ice at the north pole!"
well,i tried to keep from laughing but it was a spectacular site to witness...dang,now that i think about it,that's been at least 45 years ago....wow!
i have seen the ring around the moon at night,which is a sure sign that rain is coming,but never a moon rainbow!!!
and...if i were out walking after dark with my sweetie in the moonlight,the last thing i'd have on my mind would be having a camera handy...so don't worry...we all understand!!!!
it was sure nice to read about it though!
take care!!!

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: harpgirl
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 08:21 PM

I find those moments infinitely magical and they illuminate whatever is going on in my life when they happen!Never to be forgotten. Like seeing a white owl against a starry full moon night, high in a chinkapin oak...

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: cryptoanubis
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 08:12 PM

I been followed by a moon shadow , moon shadow , moon shadow.
Spent christmas gazing up at the star field , 360 degree view right around and not one single light to be seen , joy.
Where lucky to live where we live.
cheers.

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 08:00 PM

I've seen two white rainbows -- weirdest things I've ever seen. One early one morning with, believe it or not, the sun under it. The other in mid-winter, mid-afternoon in light fog, clouds, some snow on the ground.

The wildest display of the aurora borealis I've seen -- also in New Hampshire, Barry -- was in the very early '80s on a Sunday night coming home to Nottingham from the Hoot at The Stone Church in Newmarket. Like a huge, cosmic paintbrush with green paint dripping from it. Huge swathes up and down the sky. Absolutely awe-some.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Joybell
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 07:19 PM

Barry, You understand don't you! I'm sure that I'll remember our Moonbow for the rest of my life. Hopefully I've got at least 1/4 of a century left. Your Moonbow and ours sound similar, in that they appeared in drizzle and not in waterfalls like most of the others I've seen in photographs. You rather expect rainbows in waterfalls. I could clearly see pale colours, all 7 of them, but as I said True-Love is slightly red/green colour blind and to him our Moonbow was in shades of white. He sees Sunbows in colour because of the brighter light.
True-Love has seen the Northern Lights when he lived in Sweden. He talks about that a lot.
I once saw ball lightning. Came right at me along a fence top! That was pretty weird! Rare too, I believe. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: GUEST,Barry Finn
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 06:41 PM

You did luck out. Most haven't even heard of a moonbow never mind seeing one. When I lived on Maui a couple of us went camping up into the high hills above Lahina. The weather that evening had been chilly & somewhere between a mist & a light drizzle & when it stopped, coming off a mountain not far from us & dropping & disappearing into a valley appeared a moonbow, no real colors just a white hazy bow glowing in the evening dark, beautiful. That was nearly a quater century ago & the image is still quite a vivid memory.   

My other unforgetable night sky vision was of the Northern Lights. About 35 yrs ago in New Hampshire a crazy old man came bursting into where I boarded screeming & babbling about lights. He finially got a group of us outside & we stood stunned gazzing up into a cone of rippled, pulsating, electrical, multi colored lights all generating from the base of the cone & driving up towards the peak.
   
Barry

Subject: RE: BS: Lunar Rainbow & talking animals
From: Joybell
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 04:31 PM

We wished we'd taken the camera, tarheel. We'd have probably forgotten we had it though anyway, in the excitment.

Funny, two nights before, on Christmas Eve, I joked about listening for the cows and sheep. We were walking at midnight. You know how legend says that the animals get human speech at midnight on Christmas Eve. Thought that would be a neat miracle to witness. Well they didn't say a word! Just murmered things like mmmmmah! Our Cockatoo said, "Hello Spunky, what cher doing?", when we got home, but he always says that. Sometimes he swears so maybe he was affected by the special time. Next morning he was back in form. "Merry Christmas Spunky!" says I. "Silly old bugger!" he answered.
Anyway we did get our own personal miracle a few nights later. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: tarheel
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 02:35 PM

Really sounds Neat,joybell!!was hoping that you took photos...

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Joybell
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 09:03 PM

Bert, Actually True-Love did start singing, "I Saw a Rainbow at Midnight" but we thought the writer was just being all poetic. We looked up the words and they are mushy and forgettable. Nice Hillbilly waltz though. It was recorded by Ernest Tubb in 1952. Not the sort of words an Angel would give you, and that's how they should be, I reckon. Shazam!! Zot! straight into your brain! I'll keep my eyes on the sky and wait. You never know.
There! a song-thread switch, thanks to you Bert. Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Bert
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 08:51 PM

Now that's an event that shouldn't go unsung.

Get writing Joybell.

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: Joybell
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 08:48 PM

Thanks, Spaw. Lovely pictures. I found some pictures taken over the Victoria falls too. Strange thing about our Moonbow was that we are out on the Western plains of Victoria, (Aus) and it's so dry now in the middle of Summer. No river, no billabongs nearby, only a few drops of rain. Don't think I'd better make up the tourist brochures just yet.
My guru always said, Yes it was a very special moment. Thank you for being so eager to share it.
Animaterra, and you too. I'm so glad our Moon Moment brought you happy memories.

I just remembered another Moon Moment from the past.   

Once we were driving along a deserted road at Moonrise and suddenly True-Love said, "Stop the car!". He lept out and I followed. He said, "Now do this!" and started jumping up and down and waving his arms at the Moon. I did and we fell about laughing. Life is so sweet. Joy

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: catspaw49
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 07:04 PM

For those of you in the U.S. and especially the eastern U.S., you can see this beautiful phenomena more or less on a regular basis at Cumberland Falls. It's called a Moonbow" and the atmosspheric conditions have to be right for that one time a month. There is a schedule of the nights when youmight be able to see one but there are no guarantees.....just the probability. I've been there on many nights when there could have been one but it was just a bit too overcast or a bit too something. I have been fortunate enough to see one on 5 occasions and always felt I'd been treated to something special.

A Couple of Interesting Pix Here

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 07:03 PM

How lovely! My truelove and I had many beautiful moon moments, but none like yours! Auspicious omen for the coming year, no doubt!

Allison

Subject: RE: BS: We saw a lunar rainbow
From: My guru always said
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 06:23 PM

Oh that sounds fantastic Joy! A memory to treasure!

Subject: BS: We saw a Lunar Rainbow!!
From: Joybell
Date: 27 Dec 04 - 06:13 PM

Last night we took a walk along our country road, as we always do. It was well past sunset and everything was black and silver. The moon was rising behind us, full and bright, just riding clear of a big black cloud. There was light rain in our faces as we walked West with the moon behind our shoulders.
Then I spotted a RAINBOW!
We just stopped and stared. Held hands tightly. That 'we can't be allowed to see this and live' feeling came over us both.
The colours were pale but quite distinct. True-Love, who is red/green colour blind saw it as whiteish. We were completely alone out there. Just me and True-Love a barn owl, a few possums, a couple of bats, a thousand or so sheep, and some cows. Nobody to share our Moonbow.
Back home, in the cold light of the computer screen, I found the explainations and the pictures people have taken of Lunar Rainbows.
Still and all, they're rare and we feel special. Cheers, Joy