May 29, 2008
The same forces that sculpt nebulae and spin galaxies into existence were at work the day you were born.
A Fog Bow Over Ocean Beach
Birthday · May 29, 2008
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APOD published May 29, 2008. Credit: Keith C. Langill (missionblvd.com). A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
What is that white arch over the water? What is being seen is a fogbow, a reflection of sunlight by water drops similar to a rainbow but without the colors. The fog itself is not confined to an arch -- the fog is mostly transparent but relatively uniform. The fogbow shape is created by those drops with the best angle to divert sunlight to the observer. The fogbow's relative lack of colors are caused by the relatively smaller water drops. The drops active above are so small that the quantum mechanical wavelength of light becomes important and smears out colors that would be created by larger rainbow water drops acting like small prisms reflecting sunlight. The above striking image of a fogbow was taken last week with the Sun behind the photographer. The rocks in the foreground are part of Ocean Beach in California, USA.
Image credit: Keith C. Langill (missionblvd.com)