Rare Circumhorizontal Arc Rainbow in Daylight Sky #2115879 (License: Personal Use)

This image captures a circumhorizontal arc, an optical phenomenon formed when sunlight passes through horizontally aligned ice crystals in high-altitude cirrus clouds. Unlike a true rainbow, it appears as a vivid, horizontal band of color parallel to the horizon-here angled diagonally due to perspective-and is only visible when the sun is high (above 58°). The surrounding sky features feathery cirrus streaks and soft cumulus, enhancing the arc’s ethereal glow.

Used in meteorology education, nature photography galleries, and weather blogs to illustrate rare atmospheric optics; matches user intent seeking visual examples of halos, sky phenomena, or “rainbow-like” effects not from rain.