Stunning footage shows ‘pilot’s glory’ surrounding shadow of moving aircraft
A fully circular rainbow has been seen surrounding the shadow of an aircraft cast upon the clouds as it moves across the sky.
A fully circular rainbow has been seen surrounding the shadow of an aircraft cast upon the clouds as it moves across the sky.
Photographer Rich Cruise filmed the optical display, known as “pilot’s glory” or “pilot’s halo”, while flying over Portland in Oregon.
The phenomenon is caused when a cloud’s water droplets scatter sunlight back towards a source of light.
This is why passengers on flights can sometimes see the “glory” or “halo” around the shadow of their plane when they look out the window.
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Before aviation, the phenomenon was often seen by mountain climbers, with the “glory” encircling the climber’s shadow on the clouds below.