Rainbow without rain at Stonehenge

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the phenomenon of a rainbow observed at Stonehenge without accompanying rain, exploring the conditions under which rainbows can form and the characteristics of their appearance.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares a personal experience of observing a rainbow at sunrise from the Winterbourne barrows, questioning the lack of rain as a factor for the rainbow's appearance.
  • Another participant notes that rain is not necessary for a rainbow to form, suggesting that moisture in the air from storm clouds could suffice.
  • A third participant emphasizes the importance of conducting personal research before asking questions, referencing a Wikipedia article that explains how rainbows can form from various types of airborne moisture.
  • One participant inquires about the typical characteristics of rainbows, specifically whether it is common for them to begin mid-field and arch high in the sky, as opposed to appearing on the horizon.
  • Another participant responds by stating that rainbows appear at specific angles in the atmosphere, indicating that the conditions for their formation can vary.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that rain is not a prerequisite for a rainbow, but there is no consensus on the typical appearance and characteristics of rainbows, as questions remain about their formation and visibility.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes references to specific atmospheric conditions and the nature of moisture, but lacks detailed exploration of the physics behind rainbow formation or the specific angles at which they appear.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals curious about meteorological phenomena, optical effects in nature, or those seeking to understand the conditions that lead to the formation of rainbows.

datacloud
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Here is a video that I took on the 14/9/2011 after having an undefined urge to go to Stonehenge. My location was atop the first in the line of mounds that make up the Winterbourne barrows. What you can see is a rainbow formed at sunrise with the sun in direct alignment to the barrows but with no rain. Does anybody have an explanation? Cheers

http://www.youtube.com/user/andypandyspp?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/70ezgfUyja4
 
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datacloud said:
Here is a video that I took on the 14/9/2011 after having an undefined urge to go to Stonehenge. My location was atop the first in the line of mounds that make up the Winterbourne barrows. What you can see is a rainbow formed at sunrise with the sun in direct alignment to the barrows but with no rain. Does anybody have an explanation? Cheers

http://www.youtube.com/user/andypandyspp?feature=mhee#p/a/u/0/70ezgfUyja4
Rain is not required to see a rainbow, from the storm clouds in the video, it would make sense that there is sufficient moisture in the air.

Please do not start threads on obvious occurences without doing an internet search first. Then if you can't find an answer, you can tell us what you searched for, what you found and what you don't understand.
 
I'd like to echo Evo's comment here. It is always best to spent some time researching yourself before turning to others. The first paragraph on the extensive http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow" shows that rainbows are created from moisture in the air rather than rain;
wikipedia said:
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere...Rainbows can be caused by many forms of airborne water. These include not only rain, but also mist, spray, and airborne dew.
 
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Thanks guys. Is it usual for rainbows to begin mid-field and arch so highly. I thought that they usually rose and fell on the horizon.
 
datacloud said:
Thanks guys. Is it usual for rainbows to begin mid-field and arch so highly. I thought that they usually rose and fell on the horizon.

Rainbows appear at specific angles in atmosphere with the right characteristics. The wikipedia article explains much of this.