No matter how hard we try and manage to advance modern technology, Nature always remains insurmountable. Natural phenomena keep fascinating us, as Nature’s miracles are the true works of art.

While photographer Cessna Kutz was out along the shores of Lake Sammamish one Monday afternoon, a passing shower amid the sunbreaks colored the surrounding nature in magical shades, creating a beautiful fire rainbow.

These optical phenomena are also known as circumhorizontal arcs, and happen when the sun is higher than 58° in the sky.

They are formed by cirrus clouds, thin, feathery clouds, made of hexagonal ice crystals. In case they get optimally aligned, the ice crystals become a prism that causes refraction that looks like a rainbow.

Therefore, they are technically not rainbows, but they are undoubtedly majestic!

These arcs can be created by both, the sun and the moon, but they are rarer at night.

The frequency of these halos depends on the location in particular latitude. Therefore, they can be seen less frequently in latitudes further from the equator, and only when the sun is at a certain elevation in the sky.

In the United States, they usually appear in the summer, but they rarely form in mid-latitude and northern Europe.

Photographer Cessna Kutz shared mesmerizing photos a fire rainbow over Lake Sammamish

Cessna shared photos of the beautiful natural creation on Instagram, and explained that she took the photo around 2 p.m. and it only lasted a few minutes.

A “horizontal rainbow” occurs when the sun is higher than 58° above the horizon

Cessna adds that the photo reveals “ just the very top part of the arc that was visible, giving it a flat look but if you could see into the ground, it would have still been a full halo.”

The photos went viral almost immediately, and Cessna admitted:

“I honestly had no idea these photos would make the news. I was just wanting to share a beautiful moment I got to witness. I’m super passionate about photography so I’m grateful that God has used my photos to touch people, not only throughout the nation but throughout the world. It’s boosted my photography business as well as make an impact on people so it feels pretty amazing.”

She sees the “rainbow” as a message:

“Seeing such a phenomenon during these difficult times gave me peace, hope, and reassurance that God has this situation under control. This will only be temporary and we need to focus on spreading love and positivity instead of fear.”

If you are enchanted by it just like numerous others, you can visit Cessna’s website and purchase the top image in various sizes.

Stunning!

Sources:
www.diyphotography.net
katu.com
www.insider.com