This is an excellent example of a fogbow! This photo was taken near Marystown over the weekend by Amy Walsh-Rowlands.

Amy was on her deck in Little Bay, Marystown (Burin Peninsula) having tea and this formed in front of her and her family. She says it was a foggy, misty morning so she assumed it was fog of some sort.

Amy says she has never seen fog form a fogbow.

What is a fogbow you ask?

A fogbow is a pale, almost colorless rainbow-like circle that appears in the foggy air. It’s kind of like a cousin to a regular rainbow. Just like a rainbow happens when sunlight passes through raindrops, a fogbow happens when sunlight passes through tiny water droplets in the fog.

But there’s a difference. While a rainbow has lots of colors, a fogbow is usually much fainter and mostly white or very pale. This is because the water droplets in fog are smaller than raindrops, so they don’t break the sunlight into separate colors as effectively.

So, think of a fogbow as a misty, ghostly circle of light that shows up in the fog when the sun is shining through it. It’s a pretty and rare sight, so if you’re lucky enough to see one, enjoy the magical moment!

How are fogbows and rainbows different?

Rainbows and fogbows are both colorful circles of light made by sunlight and water droplets. But they’re different because rainbows are made by bigger raindrops and have bright colors, while fogbows are made by smaller fog droplets and are paler. Rainbows are seen when it’s both sunny and rainy, while fogbows happen in foggy weather. Fogbows are like fainter, less colorful rainbows that can sometimes form full circles.