Cloudy with a chance of rainbow: iridescent clouds brighten the sky over parts of Victoria
Rare iridescent clouds were spotted over parts of Victoria, Australia, over the weekend. Meteorologists explain that the phenomenon occurs when sunlight is diffracted by ice crystals in newly formed clouds.
Why it matters
While not dangerous, the event serves as a notable meteorological curiosity that highlights the complexity of atmospheric optics.
Iridescent clouds over Mount Waverley, Melbourne. Photograph: Amruta Wazalwar Iridescent clouds over Mount Waverley, Melbourne. Photograph: Amruta Wazalwar Australia weather Cloudy with a chance of rainbow: iridescent clouds brighten the sky over parts of Victoria Rainbow clouds are not uncommon in Australia but rarely photographed, and experts say they get their colours when light is diffracted around ice crystals
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Prefer the Guardian on Google Rainbow clouds shone over parts of Victoria over the weekend, in an unusual visual phenomenon known as iridescent clouds.
Photographs of the spectacle were taken by onlookers in the Melbourne suburbs of Mount Waverley and Caroline Springs.
Sarah Scully, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology , said the visual phenomenon was not uncommon in Australia but was rarely captured.
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