A Rainbow Pileus Cloud over Zimbabwe
Yes, but how many dark clouds have a multicolored lining? Pictured, behind this darker cloud, is a pileus iridescent cloud , a group of water droplets that have a uniformly similar size and so together diffract different colors of sunlight by different amounts. The above image was taken just before sunset when it was noticed by chance by a photographer in Murambi East, near Odzi Valley and the Mtanda Range of Zimbabwe . Also captured were unusual cloud ripples above the pileus cloud . The formation of a rare pileus cloud capping a common cumulus cloud is an indication that the lower cloud is expanding upward and might well develop into a storm . In this case, however, only a few minutes after the colorful cloud was noticed, it disappeared . Follow APOD on: Facebook ( Daily ) ( Sky ) ( Spanish ) ( Arabic ) or Google Plus ( Daily )