Can Rainbows Be On Fire?
In the Dairy Queen commercials where they pun on the word “ridiculous” saying that things there are “RiDQlous,” because DQ is for Dairy Queen and they are trying to say the deals are ridiculously good, there is a point in one where the spokesman says that Dairy Queen doesn’t just have rainbows, but they have rainbows on fire. It is obvious that many of the things in these Dairy Queen commercials are fake. However, the rainbow on fire looks as though it could be real.
It raises the question, “Can a rainbow be on fire?”
If you study about light, the color spectrum, and fire, you will be able to answer that question yourself. However, simply put, a rainbow cannot be on fire. A rainbow is a prism of light. It is not physical material that can burn. This means that a rainbow cannot catch on fire nor can it be made of fire.
What Did I See If A Rainbow Can’t Be On Fire?
Some people may still argue that they have seen a rainbow on fire. The truth is that the rainbow looks like it is on fire. However, the rainbow is not on fire. Instead, it is a fire rainbow. It is given the name “fire rainbow” because it looks like it is on fire.
What Causes Fire Rainbows?
These “fire rainbows,” as they are called are not hot. Instead, they depend on ice crystals and sunshine to form. There are six conditions that must be met so a fire rainbow will form. They are as follows:
A cirrus cloud must be formed of ice crystals. The ice crystals must be hexagonal. The hexagonal faces of the ice crystals must be thick plates of crystal. The hexagonal ice crystals must have the hexagonal faces parallel to the ground. The sun must be 58 degrees or higher above the horizon. The light must enter through the vertical sides of the hexagonal crystals.
When all of these things happen, the light well bend like it has entered through a prism, so all the colors of the visible spectrum will be shown. The cirrus cloud will light up like it is a rainbow on fire. However, what is being seen is the spectrum through the icy cloud.
How Did Fire Rainbows Get Their Name?
Fire rainbows have a true names of “circumhorizon arcs” or “circumhorizontal arcs.” They are not “fire rainbows.” However, people have started to call them “fire rainbows.” It is not certain, but it is thought that a journalist coined the name. This was after a circumhorizontal arc appeared in Spokane, Washington in 2006.
How Rare Are Fire Rainbows?
Fire rainbows are described as rare events. The United States and similar latitudes are where they are most commonly spotted. They are also more common during the summer. In the United States, fire rainbows are likely to be seen at least five times each summer.
However, a fire rainbow is not likely to be seen in Europe. In fact, not a single fire rainbow will be seen at higher latitudes than Copenhagen, Denmark.
Sources:
Circumhorizon arc. (n.d.).Atmospheric Optics . Retrieved September 4, 2011, from http://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/cha2.htm
Is a circumhorizon arc “rare”? It depends where you are.. (n.d.). Atmospheric Optics . Retrieved September 4, 2011, from http://www.atoptics.co.uk/halo/chafreq.htm
Leather, T. (n.d.). 10 Incredible Images of Fire Rainbows. Popular | Environmental Graffiti . Retrieved September 4, 2011, from http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-10-incredible-fire-rainbow-images
Photo in the News: Rare “Rainbow” Spotted Over Idaho. (n.d.). Daily Nature and Science News and Headlines | National Geographic News . Retrieved September 4, 2011, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060619-rainbow-fire.html
The Fire Rainbow An Astonishing and Rare Marvel of Nature. (n.d.). ArtsOnEarth – Best Cool News And Pictures! . Retrieved September 4, 2011, from http://artsonearth.com/2008/11/fire-rainbow-astonishing-and-rare.html
dairyqueen. (n.d.). Dairy Queen Commercial: Hiking – YouTube . YouTube – Broadcast Yourself. . Retrieved September 4, 2011, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VtH5xdbMtU
snopes.com: Fire Rainbow. (n.d.). snopes.com: Urban Legends Reference Pages . Retrieved September 4, 2011, from http://www.snopes.com/photos/natural/firerainbow.asp