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Can someone explain the science on this?

bilbot79 · 2020-08-02 22:06:20

On a plane journey I noticed that there was a kind of colourful circle reflecting on the clouds below. The plane must have been directly between the sun and this circle as it's shadow is in the centre. Can anyone explain how this is happening from a physics perspective?

02-08-2020 10:06PM

#1

bilbot79

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On a plane journey I noticed that there was a kind of colourful circle reflecting on the clouds below. The plane must have been directly between the sun and this circle as it's shadow is in the centre. Can anyone explain how this is happening from a physics perspective?

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#2 03-08-2020 04:08PM

Capt'n Midnight

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Sounds like Brocken spectre.

You are so high you that you can see a fully circular rainbow. Normally you only see a bow because the horizon or other stuff gets in the way.

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