Fogbows were seen across certain snow-covered regions in Scotland.
Forget rainbows, double rainbows or even moonbows. It seems fogbow (white rainbow) is the meteorological phenomenon that we should all be obsessed with.
Residents of certain rural parts of Scotland were lucky enough to witness fogbows when they ventured out into the snow on Sunday.
I captured an unbelievable White Rainbow (Fogbow) on Rannoch Moor today. https://t.co/Zk8mu7Cxm6 #Scotland #VisitScotland #glencoe #rainbow pic.twitter.com/cKgkowCc24
— MelvinNicholsonPhoto (@mnphotoworkshop) 20 November 2016
Melvin Nicholson, one of the photographers who captured the amazing sight, described it as “just beyond magical and one of those days that you’ll remember for a long time to come” on his Facebook page.
But how does a fog bow form? According to the Met Office, a fogbow occurs when sunlight interacts with water droplets in fog, mist or cloud. These water droplets are quite small – less than 0.1mm in diameter.
Enjoyed a glorious walk in the #Cairngorms yesterday with lovely a lovely fogbow in the sunshine! #scotwinter#weather#scotlandpic.twitter.com/WKF5njuKpW
— Richard Kermode (@richardkermode) 21 November 2016
“Tiny droplets cause the light to undergo different physical processes, most notably diffraction, which leads to fogbows appearing to be devoid of colour,” the Met Office says on its website. “It is for this reason that fogbows are sometimes known as white rainbows.
“The process of diffraction broadens the reflected beam of light which smears out the colours which give the characteristic ghostly white, or very faintly coloured fogbow.
A white rainbow or ‘fogbow’ over Glencoe yesterday. Incredible pic by Bill Carter on Scotland from the Roadside. pic.twitter.com/u6gnnEIA5X
— Being Scottish (@BeingScots) 21 November 2016
“The fog bank has to be relatively diffused and thin to allow the light to pass through the droplets and create the effect.
“Fogbows are large, almost as big as rainbows.”
Fogbow yesterday. Beinn a ‘Chaorainn pic.twitter.com/zpxFGQP8cX
— Gary Healeas (@GaryHealeas) 21 November 2016