June 6, 2012

A glowing cloud blossomed into a rainbow over southern China on 5 June, appearing at dusk over Wanning City in southern China in Hainan Province. 

The glowing 'rainbow' was spotted first by a child on a fishing boat, and captured by a local photographer. 

The rare effect is created by light refracting off ice crystals in clouds, rather than water particles close to Earth, creating a 'flying' rainbow. 

The glowing 'rainbow' was spotted first by a child on a fishing boat, and captured by a local photographer

'Late in the afternoon of June 5, a giant piece of colorful cloud appeared over the sky in Shenzhou Peninsula, Wanning City of south China's Hainan Province. A child on a fishing ship had the luck to observe this spectacular phenomenon. 

'When the sun went down, the colorful cloud dispersed gradually,' says Ye Xin, of China's People's Daily Online.

The phenomenon is caused by light reflecting off tiny ice crystals inside the body of the cloud's water vapour.

It's very rarely observed, even compared to other unusual rainbow phenomena such as upside-down rainbows.

Over the rainbow: The phenomenon is caused by light reflecting off tiny ice crystals inside the body of the cloud's water vapour

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2155361/Rare-flying-...