The skies over Ladakh recently witnessed a rare natural spectacle when yoga teacher Prerna Dalal spotted vibrant, rainbow-like clouds while travelling through the region. Dalal captured the unusual sight and shared several photographs on Instagram, mesmerising users. The images show patches of clouds glowing in delicate shades of pink, green, blue and violet against Ladakh’s rugged mountain landscape. The colours made the sky appear almost as though it had been painted in soft pastel strokes.
“Sky when clouds turn into rainbows. Spotted this while taking a drone shot over the GLACIERS of Ladakh and honestly, I had no idea what I was looking at. Watch the video here: A post shared by Prerna Dalal (@forever_a_wildsoul)
I just stood there thinking, “WHAT IS THIS?” the video was captioned on Instagram.
However, fact-checkers later examined the images and confirmed that they were genuine. Another said, “Saw this closer to Zanskar yesterday. The unusual sight also left many social media users wondering whether the photographs had been created or enhanced using artificial intelligence. The phenomenon seen in the photographs is known as cloud iridescence, or rainbow clouds. It occurs when sunlight interacts with tiny water droplets or ice crystals in clouds, causing light to diffract and produce rainbow-like colours. it is relatively uncommon and can be fleeting, making sightings particularly striking Although cloud iridescence is a natural phenomenon. Ladakh’s high altitude and clear atmosphere can also offer favourable conditions for observing unusual atmospheric phenomena. “Cloud iridescence is NOT the same as a rainbow. A rainbow forms when sunlight interacts with raindrops. And this wasn’t a fleeting moment. I watched it for OVER TWO HOURS from different mountain angles. The Himalayas really know how to surprise you,” Dalal explained. Her dreamy video quickly caught the attention of viewers, many of whom were mesmerised by the vivid colours against the stark Himalayan landscape. One user wrote, “Even I saw this in Ladakh, I was really confused if nature is trying to create a rainbow. Truly beautiful in all the worlds! A third commented, “That day God was happy for you to visit Ladakh.
Because light is diffracted by tiny droplets or ice crystals in the cloud, cloud iridescence happens.
A fourth added, “Aww…how beautiful.”
