This is something you might not come across very often. A Bristol-based wildlife filmmaker was lucky to witness a magical spectacle, a circular rainbow, on one of his camping trips.
Sam Rowley, 25, captured an image of the stunning phenomenon with his drone during a camping trip near Invergarry in Scotland, the United Kingdom.
Not long after, the youngster picked up the skill of filming and has since been working in the BBC Natural History Unit as a researcher, camera assistant, and drone pilot.
Although Rowley often uses the drone to shoot aerial landscapes, this was the first time he reveals that he was able to snap a picture of the circular rainbow, also known as the “glory.”
“I woke [up] to a beautiful morning, with low-lying clouds scattered across over the hillsides,” Rowley told Caters News Agency, alluding to the incredible moment. ”Using my drone this scene was unveiled and the rainbow was revealed.”
He further added: “It was the first time I had ever seen the phenomenon, albeit via my drone screen, and it was one of the most magical scenes I have ever witnessed.”
This spectacle occurs when sunlight interacts with tiny water droplets from mist or clouds. Additionally, the glory occurs “opposite the sun and is centered at the antisolar point and therefore below the horizon except at sunrise and sunset.”
Another notable characteristic feature of the glory is that it has a bright center with rings that are delicately colored. Starting off with the blue on the inside then moving on to greens to red and purple outside, there can often be up to three or four rings visible.
Prior to the days of air travel, glories in the past were spoken of by those who were into mountain climbing, states The Earth Sky. This phenomenon can be seen on hillsides, sea fog, and even indoors.
