The World’s Most Mind-Blowing Natural Phenomena

Published March 23, 2013
Updated February 27, 2024

Fire Rainbows

Bizarre Natural Phenomena Fire Rainbow 1

Source: Fan Pop

Unfortunately, those within the weather world would be quick to tell you that what you might call a fire rainbow is actually a circumhorizontal arc. All extremely long adjectives aside, the smoking-hot rainbow you might be fortunate enough to witness swaying among the clouds is actually cold as ice and not related to rainbows at all.

Known as the rarest of all naturally-occurring phenomena, for the fire rainbow to be seen very specific elements must be at play: first of all, the clouds through which the light refracts must be at least 20,000 feet in the air and must also be of the cirrus variety. Further, the sun has to be elevated at an angle of precisely 58 degrees.

What this often translates to is that those picnicking in the park in the United States are more apt to be warmed by the icy light’s technicolor rays than those in Northern Europe given the region’s extreme fluctuations in sunlight. Sorry, Denmark.

Mind-Blowing Natural Phenomena Fire Rainbows

Source: Orneveien

author
All That's Interesting
author
A New York-based publisher established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science to share stories that illuminate our world.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.