What causes the circular rainbow seen from an airplane window?

The circular rainbow visible from aircraft is called a glory. It forms when sunlight is backscattered by tiny water droplets in clouds directly opposite the sun from the observer. Diffraction and interference of light inside the droplets create concentric colored rings centered on the antisolar point, which is always directly below the airplane's shadow.

How can this Photo be used?

This stock photo is suited, for example, for travel magazines, airline advertising campaigns, or editorial features on atmospheric optics. With commercial licensing available on Kataloop, it can also be used in app design, science communication, or large-format print production. The 4000 x 6000 pixel resolution supports high-quality output across both digital and print channels.

What mood does this Photo convey?

The view through the rounded airplane window onto the bright cloud layer, with the barely visible glory ring, creates a calm and almost meditative effect. The even blue of the sky and the soft pastel tones of the clouds reinforce a sense of openness and stillness, without feeling emotionally charged.

What equipment was used to capture this Photo?

Shot with the Sony ILCE-7 (Alpha 7), a mirrorless full-frame camera that performs well even in the low-contrast lighting conditions of an airplane cabin. Its full-frame sensor captures the subtle color gradations of the glory phenomenon and the soft pastel texture of the cloud layer with precision. The image is available at 4000 x 6000 pixels, making it suitable for large-format print applications.

What visual style or trend does this Photo represent?

Images of rare natural phenomena like the glory are gaining traction in science communication and nature-focused social media formats. At the same time, the window-seat perspective reflects the ongoing visual trend toward authentic travel documentation, where candid, unposed moments from everyday journeys attract more attention than staged imagery.

Aerial view of circular rainbow from airplane window

Name: Aerial view of circular rainbow from airplane window
Brand: Kataloop
Price: 16 EUR
Availability: InStock

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Aerial view of circular rainbow from airplane window

Kataloop stock photo no.

9694813

4000

6000

11793923

SONY ILCE-7

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Aerial view of circular rainbow from airplane window

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What causes the circular rainbow seen from an airplane window?

How can this photo be used?

What mood does this photo convey?

What equipment was used to capture this photo?

What visual style or trend does this photo represent?

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