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Credit & Copyright: Wally Pacholka
(AstroPics.com, TWAN)
Explanation:
Even from the top of a volcanic crater, this vista was unusual.
For one reason,
Mars was dazzlingly
bright two weeks ago, when this picture was taken, as
it was nearing its brightest time of the entire year.
Mars, on the far upper left,
is the brightest object in the above picture.
The brightness of the
red planet peaked last week near when Mars reached
opposition, the time when Earth and Mars are closest together in their orbits.
Arching across the lower part of the image is a rare lunar
fog bow.
Unlike a more commonly seen
rainbow,
which is created by sunlight reflected
prismatically
by falling rain, this
fog bow was created by
moonlight reflected by the small water
drops that compose fog.
Although most fog bows appear white,
all of the colors
of the rainbow were somehow visible here.
The above image was taken from high atop
Haleakala,
a huge volcano in Hawaii,
USA.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Mars - rainbow
Publications with words: Mars - rainbow
See also:
- APOD: 2025 July 15 B Collapse in Hebes Chasma on Mars
- APOD: 2025 July 6 B The Spiral North Pole of Mars
- APOD: 2025 June 29 B Dark Sand Cascades on Mars
- APOD: 2025 June 22 B A Berry Bowl of Martian Spherules
- APOD: 2025 June 15 B Two Worlds One Sun
- Perseverance Selfie with Ingenuity
- Deimos Before Sunrise