- So-called 'supernumerary rainbows' only form when falling water droplets are all nearly exactly the same size
- The result is a series of two or more rainbows hanging in the sky that can stretch to five in rare circ*mstances
- Photographer John Entwistle took the amazing snap while photographing a sunset from his backyard
By Harry Pettit For Mailonline
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A photographer has snapped a rare quintuple rainbow over his home in New Jersey.
So-called 'supernumerary rainbows' only form when falling water droplets are all nearly exactly the same size, according to Nasa, which featured the image as part of its astronomy picture of the day on Tuesday.
The result is a series of three or more rainbows hanging in the sky that can sometimes stretch to five in 'exceptional' circ*mstances, according to one expert.
Scroll down for full image
Pictured is a half version of the image. A photographer has snapped a rare quintuple rainbow over his home in New Jersey. So-called 'supernumerary rainbows' only form when falling water droplets are all nearly exactly the same size, according to a Nasa post about the image
PhotographerJohn Entwistle took the amazing snap while photographing a sunset from his backyard.
The incredible spectacle faded in an out for around half an hour, much to the delight of the photographer.
Writing on Instagram on September 18, MrEntwistle said:'I could be wrong but that sure looks like a quintuple rainbow at sunset tonight over the Jersey Shore, NJ.'
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Nasa featured the amazing image as part of its astronomy picture of the day on Tuesday, describing the phenomenon pictured as a 'hall of rainbows'.
The agency wrote: 'Supernumerary rainbowsonly form when fallingwater droplets are all nearly the same sizeand typically less than a millimetre across.
'Then, sunlight willnot only reflect from inside the raindrops, but interfere, a wave phenomenon similar to ripples on a pond when a stone is thrown in.'
Nasa featured the image as part of its astronomy picture of the day on Tuesday, describing the stunning photograph as 'a hall of rainbows'. Pictured is Wednesday's entry: A Nasa image of the galactic clusterNGC 1898
WHAT IS A SUPERNUMERARY RAINBOW?
Supernumerary rainbows are made up of one main bright rainbow and at least two others.
They occur when raindrops in a storm all form about the same size - usually below a millimetre in diameter.
Sun rays reflect from inside the raindrops, producing the colours of the rainbow.
But they also interfere, a wavephenomenon similar to ripples on a pond when a stone is thrown in.
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Experts said that while supernumerary rainbows were relatively common, a quintuple sighting was 'exceptionally' rare.
This is because the viewer has to be lined up at precisely the right angle when observing the rainbow to see so many in a row.
Raymond Lee, a research professor at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, said: 'Supernumerary rainbows are actually fairly common and, despite their superfluous-sounding name, are an intrinsic part of any rainbow.'
Dr Gunther Können, a retired climate scientist with the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, told Live Science: 'In general, supernumeraries are quite common. There are many pictures of 2 or 3 supernumeraries.
'But the appearance in nature of 5 supernumeraries is exceptional.'
Pictured is a full version of the image. The incredible rainbows, otherwise known as supernumerary rainbows, faded in an out for around half an hour, much to the delight of the photographer
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