---
title: "Is that a 'fire rainbow' or iridescent cloud that Stomper saw in the sky?"
url: "/singapore-seen/is-that-a-fire-rainbow-or-iridescent-cloud-that-stomper-saw-in-the-sky"
published: "2017-10-16T01:37:11.000Z"
updated: "2017-10-16T02:50:37.000Z"
section: "Singapore Seen"
authors: ["Cherlynn Ng"]
tags: ["sky","rainbow"]
---

# Is that a 'fire rainbow' or iridescent cloud that Stomper saw in the sky?

*Stomper William was driving from Clementi Mall to Jem yesterday (Oct 16) when he saw what appeared to be an unusual cloud that stood out from the rest. *

Stomper William was driving from Clementi Mall to Jem yesterday (Oct 16) when he saw what appeared to be an unusual cloud that stood out from the rest.

He said: "It stood out from the other clouds as it was covered in rainbow colours.

"We took a couple of photos and did a quick check online. It seems it could likely be a fire rainbow that we spotted!"

Also known as a circumhorizontal arc, a fire rainbow is an optical phenomenon that is formed when sunlight passes through and is refracted by ice crystals in cirrus clouds at a high altitude.

Meanwhile, an iridescent cloud is when light passes through tiny ice crystals or water droplets and is diffracted, thus resulting in a rainbow-like effect.