... my word for a blob of rainbow. I am sure their creation is in the same way as a rainbow - sunlight being refracted by raindrops. But early and late in the day, when the sun is still bright but low, and there are showers about, it is not too usual to see a blob of rainbow colour below the cloud.
Here's a rather faint one photographed this morning...
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| Rainblob and Healabhal Bheag from Roskhill |
And another that I spotted from NW Skye, a while ago...
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| Rainblob over the Ascrib Islands |
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| Closer view - the skerry next to the blob is An t-Iasgair (Gaelic for 'The Fisher') |
2 comments:
According to today's Scotsman the Scots word for these is Watergaw:
"A patch of rainbow in the sky , it should be noted that a watergaw is not the same as a rainbow.
"While a rainbow is continuous, the classic watergaw is a lone patch of rainbow which follows the end of a downpour. The word, which originated in the Borders, is probably best known as the subject of Hugh McDiarmid’s poem ‘The Watergaw’. In the piece, regarded as one of the best by a Scottish poet, sees McDiarmid describing 'a watergaw wi’ its chitterin’ licht ayont the on-ding' ".
Read more: http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/15-words-which-can-only-be-used-to-describe-scottish-weather-1-4104762#ixzz46IoSpgtj
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Fascinating - thank you Tiger!
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