Moonbows

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A rare atmospheric phenomenon where light from the moon refracts through water droplets, creating a rainbow-like arc in the night sky
2. A spectral display resembling a rainbow, occurring when moonlight refracts in raindrops, often seen in dark conditions
3. A luminous arc produced by the reflection and refraction of moonlight in moisture-laden air, often resulting in pale, ghostly colors

Etymology: "Moonbows" is simply the plural of "moonbow," a compound made from "moon" and "bow," the same "bow" that means a curved arc, as in rainbow. The formation is a deliberate analogy: a moonbow is to the moon what a rainbow is to the sun. Both are arcs of light produced when sunlight or moonlight is bent and reflected inside airborne droplets, so the naming follows the same pattern as the older, more familiar term. The surprise lies in the light itself. A moonbow is far fainter than a rainbow because moonlight is hundreds of thousands of times dimmer than sunlight, so the colors often look washed out and silvery to the eye, which explains the pale, ghostly quality the word now suggests. Many people never see one, since it requires a bright moon low in the sky and mist or spray behind the viewer, such as at waterfalls.

Synonyms: lunar rainbows