About Jeff Masters
Cat 6 lead authors: WU cofounder Dr. Jeff Masters (right), who flew w/NOAA Hurricane Hunters 1986-1990, & WU meteorologist Bob Henson, @bhensonweather
By: Dr. Jeff Masters , 8:18 PM GMT on April 14, 2005
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Most people don't realize it, but a rainbow is actually a full circle. You usually can't see the full circle, since half of the rainbow lies beneath the horizon, where it is not raining. After all, there is no weather underground. However, if one is in an airplane or overlooking a waterfall, the 360-degree rainbow can be seen. I know--I have seen them twice from research airplanes that were flying through rain showers. Check out the 360-degree rainbow image at the bottom. Note that there is a separate optical phenomena, called a glory (caused by diffraction), surrounding the shadow of the airplane. Unfortunately, I only had a 23mm wide angle lens, and could not capture the entire 360-degree rainbow. To my knowledge, no one has captured a photograph of a full NATURAL 360-degree rainbow. You can easily photograph one using a sprinkler, as this photographer has done here.
I challenge all you wunderphotographers to capture a 360-degree rainbow image in rain or waterfall mist. First photographer to post such a natural 360-degree rainbow image wins a free 2-year wunderground.com membership!
Update: In 2013, a photographer on a helicopter in Australia captured a beautiful picture of a 360-degree rainbow, posted at NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day website.
Jeff Masters
The views of the author are his/her own and do not necessarily represent the position of The Weather Company or its parent, IBM.
Cat 6 lead authors: WU cofounder Dr. Jeff Masters (right), who flew w/NOAA Hurricane Hunters 1986-1990, & WU meteorologist Bob Henson, @bhensonweather
59. Prouss
58. Planedude
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyHqyGEQypQ
57. BaltimoreBrian
56. 19N81W
55. 19N81W
54. 19N81W
atmosphere around here looks stagnant and pressurized
just a couple small simpsons clouds and haze....
ugggg
53. islander101010
52. swflurker
Never saw a 360 rainbow in my life! But the pic is cool!
51. Patrap
50. Patrap
48. vidarito
46. winter123
44. happykaren
Karen
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43. leonrosk
It was in the form of a slanted disc with the bottom of the disc at my feet and the top above the horizon (seemingly a long way away).
I realised that the angle of the disc was in a line with the sun behind me passing through my head to the illusion in front of me.
Since that time I know that I have to look for the rainbow with the sun behind me, and that latitude, and the height of the sun above the horizon, determines how high the top of the rainbow appears to be in the sky.
41. Dakster
39. islander101010
38. Kumo
34. wxchaser97
wxchaser97 was and is here...
33. MTWX
MTWX was here...
32. TomTaylor
31. MAweatherboy1
30. TropicalAnalystwx13
Yeah...you've got that right, lol.
29. TomTaylor
28. WxGeekVA
27. SomeChaz
26. CybrTeddy
25. cycloone
24. KEEPEROFTHEGATE (Mod)
8:28 PM GMT on July 29, 200823. OneDay
5:55 PM GMT on August 01, 2006Too cool.
22. turtlehurricane
4:53 AM GMT on July 02, 200621. Alec
12:37 AM EDT on June 22, 200620. atmosweather
12:33 AM EDT on June 22, 200619. Levi32
8:33 PM AKDT on June 21, 200617. shaviator
1:46 PM GMT on April 25, 200516. Groundrush
4:30 PM GMT on April 23, 200515. Lemurian
8:09 PM PDT on April 22, 200514. BIGJOHNBOY
11:10 PM GMT on April 22, 200513. stuckindeleware
12:40 PM GMT on April 22, 200512. WunderYakuza (Admin)
4:57 PM PDT on April 21, 2005