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Cloud iridescence is the occurrence of colors in a cloud similar to those seen in oil films on puddles, and is similar to irisation. It is a fairly uncommon phenomenon, most often observed in altocumulus, cirrocumulus, lenticular clouds and cirrus clouds.〔(Astronomy Picture of the Day ), over Boulder, Colorado〕〔(Iridescent Clouds - Atmospheric Optics site )〕 The colors are usually pastel, but can be very vivid. Iridescence is generally produced near the sun, with the sun's glare masking it, so it is more easily seen by hiding the sun behind a tree or building. Other aids are dark glasses, or observing the sky reflected in a convex mirror or in a pool of water. Iridescent clouds are a diffraction phenomenon caused by small water droplets or small ice crystals individually scattering light. Larger ice crystals produce halos. If parts of clouds have small droplets or crystals of similar size, their cumulative effect is seen as colors. The cloud must be optically thin, so that most rays encounter only a single droplet. Iridescence is therefore mostly seen at cloud edges or in semi-transparent clouds, and newly forming clouds produce the brightest and most colorful iridescence. When a thin cloud has droplets of similar size over a large extent, the iridescence takes on the structured form of a corona, a central bright disk around the sun or moon surrounded by one or more colored rings. In one instance a lunar corona was observed, with the iridescent cirrus cloud above the mean sea level at a temperature of . The pure corona was above the mean sea level, at a temperature of . ==Gallery== Image:CircumHorizontalArc GQ 07312012 1938.jpg Image:Iridclouds2.jpg Image:Stratocumulus fibrous fishscali-1.jpg Image:Iridescent Cloud.JPG Image:Cloud iridescence 3.jpg Image:Nuvem Iridescente.JPG 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Cloud iridescence」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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