What causes the colorful ring around an airplane's shadow on clouds?

The colorful ring around an airplane's shadow on clouds is called a glory. It forms when sunlight is backscattered by tiny water droplets in clouds through a combination of diffraction, reflection, and interference. The phenomenon appears directly opposite the sun, centered on the antisolar point, and is only visible when the observer is positioned between the sun and the cloud surface.

How can this Photo be used?

This stock photo is suited for campaigns in the aviation and travel industry, educational media on meteorology and atmospheric optics, and magazine features on rare natural phenomena. Thanks to Kataloop's commercial license, it can also be used for advertising materials, social media content, or book covers.

What mood does this Photo convey?

The airplane shadow at the center of the colorful ring creates a calm, almost surreal atmosphere. The muted pastel tones and soft light of the cloud layer reinforce a sense of weightlessness and distance. The image feels simultaneously scientifically precise and visually surprising, clearly setting it apart from typical travel photography.

What equipment was used to capture this Photo?

Captured through an airplane window with the Sony ILCE-7 (Alpha 7), a mirrorless full-frame camera renowned for its image quality in soft, diffused light. The full-frame sensor accurately renders the delicate pastel tones of the glory and subtle cloud textures. The result is a clean, low-noise representation of this rare atmospheric phenomenon at 5081 x 3387 pixels.

What visual style or trend does this Photo represent?

Images of rare natural phenomena are gaining traction in visual communication as audiences increasingly seek authentic and informative content. The glory as a subject bridges the trend toward science communication with the growing interest in aerial photography and atmospheric imagery, as seen increasingly in travel and science magazines.

Airplane shadow with rainbow halo in clouds

Name: Airplane shadow with rainbow halo in clouds
Brand: Kataloop
Price: 16 EUR
Availability: InStock

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Airplane shadow with rainbow halo in clouds

Kataloop stock photo no.

5895483

5081

3387

3417558

SONY ILCE-7

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Airplane shadow with rainbow halo in clouds

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What causes the colorful ring around an airplane's shadow on clouds?

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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