Moonbows: 8 stunning photos of the rare night sky phenomenon
Moonbows are super-cool and super-rare. But what are they? And how can you see one?
Moonbows occur when light is refracted through water droplets, in exactly the same way as a rainbow. However, the main difference is the light source. A moonbow gets its light from sunlight reflecting off the Moon, rather than directly from the Sun.
As they are produced when there is much less light, they are a lot harder to spot with the naked eye, and often appear as just a white ring. This also makes them harder to photograph.
And because there is more light around when the Moon is at its fullest, moonbows are easier to spot during a full Moon phase.
We have pulled together some great images from around the world so you can see this natural wonder for yourselves.
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Narvik, Norway
Unknown location, USA
Isle of Skye, UK
Hawaii, USA
Skogafoss Waterfall, Iceland
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Portsmouth, UK
Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, USA
Find out more:
Authors
James Cutmore is the picture editor of BBC Science Focus Magazine, researching striking images for the magazine and on the website. He is also has a passion for taking his own photographs
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