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"Rainbow" hangs upside down over Lenham

You don’t expect to see a rainbow when it’s not been raining.

You certainly don’t expect to see one that is upside down.

But that is exactly what seven-year-old Harrison Oliver spotted when he was in the garden of his parents’ home in Mitchell Close, Lenham.

The circumzenithal arc over Lenham this week
The circumzenithal arc over Lenham this week

He dashed inside to alert his parents Stephanie and Grant, who promptly took photos on the phenomenon.

But the unusual occurrence is getting a little commonplace for the Olivers.

Almost two years ago to the day, Harrison’s older sister, Ruby, who was then herself aged seven, spotted exactly the same thing.

Upside-down rainbows are not in fact rainbows at all - no rain is involved. The correct name is a “circumzenithal arc.”

They are formed by sunlight refracting through horizontal ice crystals. Conditions and the angle have to be just right.

Light has to enter the crystal through a flat top and exit through a side prism to cause the effect.

The Met Office said they are actually quite common, but we only see them occasionally because they are shielded from view by clouds underneath.

The "upsidedown rainbow" spotted by Ruby two years ago
The "upsidedown rainbow" spotted by Ruby two years ago

Mrs Oliver said: “It’s quite bizarre that it keeps happening to us and in almost the same place above our house.

“We seem to have a very smiley sky above us.”

Mr Oliver said: “It could be something to do with the particular atmospheric conditions around here - or perhaps its just because we’re such a happy family!”

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