Sign In
Learn bits
World Affairs, Geography
Mahesh

05/09/22 06:18 AM IST

Rare rainbow cloud in China stuns residents and netizens

In News 
  • Recently,pictures of an unusually-shaped rainbow cloud that appeared over China were widely shared on social media.
  • The cloud in question resembles a pileus cloud.
Pileus Cloud 
  • A pileus cloud is usually formed over a cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud.
  • It is formed when the base cloud pushes a moist current of air upwards and the water vapour from the current condenses to somewhat resemble wave-like crests, or umbrellas.
  • In popular western culture, it is called as an “accessory cloud” that is “rather like a cloud haircut”.
  • A pileus cloud is transient in nature and lasts barely for a few minutes, making it difficult, and at the same time, exciting, to spot.
Cloud iridescence
  • Cloud iridescence or Irisation is an optical phenomenon that mostly occurs in wave-like clouds, including pileus and Altocumulus lenticularis.
  • Iridescence in clouds means the appearance of colours on clouds, which can either be in the form of parallel bands like in a rainbow, or mingled in patches.
  • In ancient Greek mythology, Iris is the goddess of rainbow. “Irisation”, the phenomenon of rainbow-like colours in clouds, is derived from her name.
  • Iridescence of clouds is a photometeor.
  • It is an optical phenomenon produced by the reflection, refraction, diffraction or interference of sunlight.
Source- Indian Express 

More Related Current Affairs View All

05 Mar

First-ever comprehensive survey of India’s river dolphins

'Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the results of the first-ever comprehensive population estimation of riverine dolphins – Gangetic and Indus dolphins – done in In

Read More

05 Mar

Arresting women at night

'The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in Deepa versus S. Vijayalakshmi and Others ruled that the legal provision in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, which

Read More

05 Mar

Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023

'The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) looking to wrap up public consultations on the draft Rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 by Mar

Read More

India’s First Ai-Driven Magazine Generator

Generate Your Custom Current Affairs Magazine using our AI in just 3 steps