Moonbow

A lunar rainbow is a rainbow produced by moonlight. Moon rainbows are, as even the full moon is 470,000 times fainter than the Sun, faint and especially affected by light pollution hard to see. They appear to the human eye because of their faintness white because for night vision no colors are perceived. In photos, taken with a slow shutter speed or high sensitivity to light, moon rainbows but are also colored ( see pictures below).

Moon rainbows are observed much less frequently than ordinary rainbows, because the brightness of a crescent moon is not enough for a lunar rainbow. Only at full moon and some nights before or after the full moon, the brightness is sufficient.

Moon Rainbow at Lower Yosemite Fall

Moon Rainbow over Victoria Falls