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If parts of clouds contain small water droplets or ice crystals of similar size, their cumulative effect is seen as colors. The cloud must be optically thin, so that most rays encounter only a single droplet. Iridescence is therefore mostly seen at cloud edges or in
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clouds, while newly forming clouds produce the brightest and most colorful iridescence. When the particles in a thin cloud are very similar in size over a large extent, the iridescence takes on the structured form of a
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with one's hand or hiding it behind a tree or building. Other aids are dark glasses, or observing the sky reflected in a
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111:. They sometimes appear as bands parallel to the edge of the clouds. Iridescence is also seen in the much rarer
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Shaw, Joseph A.; Pust, Nathan (12 August 2011). "Icy wave-cloud lunar corona and cirrus iridescence".
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effects (beyond about 10 degrees from the Sun). It can extend up to 40 degrees from the Sun.
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Sassen, Kenneth (1 January 2003). "Cirrus cloud iridescence: a rare case study".
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Gedzelman, Stanley David (1 June 1988). "In Praise of
Altocumulus".
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Cloud iridescence, seen above the clouds covered with grey clouds,
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186:. Larger ice crystals do not produce iridescence, but can cause
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Irisation or iridescence in super-cooled cloud droplets in
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95:. This fairly common phenomenon is most often observed in
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By David K. Lynch, William
Charles Livingston, p. 133
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Nemiroff, R.; Bonnell, J., eds. (25 November 2007).
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193:Irisation is caused by very uniform water droplets
748:Iridescent cloud gallery – Atmospheric Optics site
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365:Vibrant cloud iridescence captured before sunset
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353:(bottom), in the afternoon over Warsaw, Poland.
629:"Cloud Iridescence | SKYbrary Aviation Safety"
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146:Irisations are named after the Greek goddess
482:Answers.com – Sci-Tech Dictionary: irisation
91:and oil on a water surface. It is a type of
79:and appears in the general proximity of the
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240:Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. May 12th, 2024
126:or mingled together, sometimes similar to
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349:(or maybe cirrocumulus) clouds behind
317:Irisation in clouds over Wellington NZ
753:On the Cause of Iridescence in Clouds
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87:. The colors resemble those seen in
495:"An Iridescent Cloud Over Colorado"
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386:Iridescent clouds seen in Tenerife
197:light (within 10 degrees from the
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398:Parker Canyon, AZ. Aug 6th, 2022
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23:Iridescent mid altitude clouds
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838:Atmospheric optical phenomena
469:10.1080/00431672.1988.9930533
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786:. You can help Knowledge by
500:Astronomy Picture of the Day
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174:phenomenon caused by small
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190:, a different phenomenon.
113:polar stratospheric clouds
669:, by JesĂşs MartĂnez-FrĂas
653:Color and Light in Nature
592:, by JesĂşs MartĂnez-FrĂas
426:Polar stratospheric cloud
33:polar stratospheric cloud
170:Iridescent clouds are a
138:or in a pool of water.
118:The colors are usually
782:–related article is a
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162:to the mortals below.
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690:. Atmospheric Optics.
578:. Atmospheric Optics.
521:. Atmospheric Optics.
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201:) and by first order
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723:10.1364/AO.50.0000F6
612:Cloudspotter's Guide
554:10.1364/AO.42.000486
431:Circumhorizontal arc
757:Scientific American
715:2011ApOpt..50F...6S
546:2003ApOpt..42..486S
519:"Iridescent Clouds"
674:2009-12-13 at the
597:2009-12-13 at the
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122:, but can be very
73:optical phenomenon
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16:Optical phenomenon
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576:"Nacreous Clouds"
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154:and messenger of
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788:expanding it
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331:cirrocumulus
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180:ice crystals
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101:cirrocumulus
89:soap bubbles
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843:Cloud stubs
833:Cloud types
457:Weatherwise
211:transparent
195:diffracting
172:diffraction
97:altocumulus
93:photometeor
52:Pondicherry
31:Iridescent
827:Categories
759:Supplement
709:(28): F6.
638:2022-08-19
442:References
105:lenticular
178:or small
166:Mechanism
142:Etymology
66:irisation
731:22016246
688:"Corona"
672:Archived
595:Archived
562:12570270
404:See also
152:rainbows
132:sunlight
70:colorful
41:Scotland
37:Aberdeen
711:Bibcode
542:Bibcode
333:clouds.
222:Gallery
729:
560:
347:cirrus
216:corona
120:pastel
107:, and
780:cloud
778:This
209:semi-
188:halos
124:vivid
77:cloud
68:is a
56:India
784:stub
727:PMID
610:The
558:PMID
505:NASA
160:Hera
158:and
156:Zeus
148:Iris
85:Moon
719:doi
550:doi
465:doi
199:Sun
83:or
81:Sun
64:or
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