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20 Most Incredible Light Phenomena [pics]

environmentalgraffiti.com — Howard Nemerov said “Nothing in the universe can travel at the speed of light, they say, forgetful of the shadow’s speed.” But what about the amazing effects and contrasts of light and dark. In their invisible race to the finish line, what effects or phenomena do they create? We decided to explore the most stunning images for your viewing pleasure.

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  • twodimman, on 07/22/2008, -2/+40My planet always surprise me.
    • langdonalger, on 07/23/2008, -33/+5Your planet? Excuse me but unless you're a Native American you immigrated here, too.
      • limes4all, on 07/23/2008, -1/+20what
      • WhoDoneIt, on 07/23/2008, -5/+10Since when was the planet just North America? And as far as I know, even "native americans" immigrated to North America through the Bering Land mass also known as Beringia many thousand of years ago.

        There is no way native North Americans were born here. Not with the skin colouring and physical appearance.

        Get off the peace pipe and sweetgrass.
      • heymike, on 07/23/2008, -4/+3I think Lang was being funny, relax
      • jp12380, on 07/23/2008, -2/+8Perhaps he was being sarcastic/funny?

        No he is prob so stupid that is what he really meant....

      • awtripp, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2hahaha.... i saw the -21 (and counting) but in no way was I prepared for what I was about to read.
      • langdonalger, on 07/24/2008, -0/+0Digg never gets my jokes.
    • Froejam, on 07/23/2008, -2/+11My planet could beat up ur planet...
      • RMoore08, on 07/23/2008, -2/+6your?
      • WhoDoneIt, on 07/23/2008, -5/+3Not a chance. My planet would kick your ass because I'm from Uranus.
      • EddieOwns, on 07/23/2008, -6/+2Well my planet could fire your planet, because my planet is the SUN!
      • Apophis574, on 07/23/2008, -6/+2My planet is a black hole.

        I do believe I win.
      • danyostar, on 07/23/2008, -3/+5No you do not win.

        Your planet sucks.
      • hiPpymIck, on 07/23/2008, -1/+3and you dont have any

        incredible light phenomena
    • TommyTSquared, on 07/23/2008, -1/+5When I was younger I remember seeing a spiral rainbow on the way home from a family vacation. At the time my father posted on some random internet site and to this day I still attempt to look for information on them but to no avail...
      • rompom7, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1"When I was younger"... "my father posted on some random internet site".

        For some reason that threw me back a bit. And I'm only 21.

        But about the spiral rainbows, how are they even possible?
    • HellifIno, on 07/23/2008, -2/+1Where the hell is "Spokane, Idaho"? That place doesn't exist!
      But hey, what's a few miles between friends? : P
    • TheMightyDane, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1heyheyhey - It's my planet too..
  • tj241, on 07/22/2008, -0/+6Amazing!
  • mikerad86, on 07/22/2008, -0/+5phenomenal...
  • esteadee, on 07/22/2008, -1/+7Atmospheric optics are beautiful, physics works.
  • Elias1, on 07/23/2008, -17/+104 pages? F.U.
    • happystatic, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3why do they do that?
    • twigboy, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2there was a decent amount of scrolling to justify the 4 pages
    • DigitAl56K, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1I also don't like people who put a tiny amount of content per page, but that is not what has happened here. Some of these pages have 10 pictures on them.

      Just because content isn't all on one page doesn't mean you should automatically curse people out. These guys have done a nice job of pulling some very cool photos together and spent the time to add quality descriptions, and all you come back with is a cheap "F.U." comment?

      Dugg down.
  • diggystardust, on 07/23/2008, -0/+9I've only seen a rainbow :(
    • lolwutpear, on 07/23/2008, -1/+2you've never seen contrails?
    • riskybeats, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3Man, I was hiking once and over the lake was one single cloud, and it was coloured all the colours of the rainbow. It was so pretty. Thats pretty much the extent of my incredible light phenomena.
    • Viriatus2, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1maybe you should get out more :)

      I've seen rainbows (double ones), iridescent clouds, contrails, sky polarisation, crepuscular rays and of course fata morgana.

      But one of objectives in life is to see an aurora. but to do that i must travel way to the north. Maybe when i'll my make my dream travel to Norway i'll get the chance to see it.
      • tripledjr, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1"sky polarisation, crepuscular rays"
        You know what those are and your telling him to get out more?
  • welliwonder, on 07/23/2008, -11/+4Oh, but it's god making them! Right?
    ;-)
  • l800LEMMINGS, on 07/23/2008, -3/+2it's kind of a mixed batch some are amazing while others are just bland nature photos
  • ledguitar, on 07/23/2008, -1/+23This sucks. So many beautiful pictures show up on digg and no one has the courtesy to make them wallpaper size. =(
  • Kingmishima, on 07/23/2008, -0/+21I remember the first time I saw a rainbow as a child. Must have stared at it for 15 minutes, which is approximately 3 hours in adult time so you know it was serious.
  • anaxa, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Surprised to not see pics of double rainbows, etc...I guess they are too common?
    • theexitwound, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2All rainbows are in fact double. The second, fainter, bow is not always visible and always appears inverted to the first.
    • hiPpymIck, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1id swear i saw a triple rainbow

      two separate rainbows plus
      the inner one had a very narrow third
      right next to it but only the same width
      as a single color of the big ones

      each was more intense than the next
    • Seth024, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1A second rainbow is visible because the light is reflected inside the water droplets 1 extra time. This is also why the second rainbow has it's colors reversed (red on the inside).
      Secondary and tertiary rainbows are rarely visible because very little light is reflected so many times. Most light is refracted back into the air after 1 or 2 reflections.
      Up to 30 rainbows have been observed in laboratories though.
  • RMoore08, on 07/23/2008, -0/+10Why oh why can't I get a higher resolution picure?
  • SLockhart, on 07/23/2008, -8/+3God is an artist.
  • Jess2mix, on 07/23/2008, -8/+2wow, I didn't know light could look so gay.
  • connerdowney, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2If you're going to take them from flickr, at the least link to the pictures (which might be in large size) instead of just the user. I'm not sure if the way they embed the pictures does that, but it'd be worth the effort.
  • gurellia53, on 07/23/2008, -0/+9Picture of a Circumhorizontal Arc: rare
    picture of a Circumhorizontal Arc with a B-17: how the hell???
  • icepick, on 07/23/2008, -0/+9No green flash?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_flash
  • theexitwound, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Anyone else catch "Light Fantastic" on The Science Channel this weekend? Fascinating how the understanding of light physics came to be.
  • juliaperesypko, on 07/23/2008, -3/+1wow... great ... really great ..
  • EinHarJar, on 07/23/2008, -3/+2interesting.

    i once saw pictures of Earth from space.

    magnificent.
    • Barney255, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1I Think They Come Up On The Front Page Alot...
      It's Magnificent
  • gitrplaya4u, on 07/23/2008, -1/+5Guys, Iran's got us again.
    Original here: http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/8031/230087282010 ...
  • stabbingkittens, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Wallpaper anyone?
  • Sererena, on 07/23/2008, -0/+5If you like this kind of stuff, check out this website: http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
    It doesn't only show pictures, but diagrams and explanations of atmopheric optics. It's great!

    Raimbows~!
  • summerbuddy46, on 07/23/2008, -3/+1 This has got to be one of the most amazing photo's around today!
  • jefu, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2Is there a Spokane in Idaho? There is one in Washington (near Idaho) but google maps can't find one in Idaho.

  • ancientdinko, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2great pics!
  • BeyondGoodNEvil, on 07/23/2008, -2/+2Considering the phrase "nothing can travel faster than the speed of light", I think you could hypothetically transmit information faster, instantaneous in fact, with a pole (using carbon nanotubes perhaps) millions of miles long. Consider that any movement on one end will immediately be transmitted at the other end, so you could tap morse code at least, at a faster speed than light could transmit it.
    • Hilesaz, on 07/23/2008, -0/+0Not true, that would require a perfectly inelastic pole.

      Entanglement does work faster than light, but doesn't really carry information.
    • curlybracket, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1That's actually very similar to a common paradox that uses an inelastic hose a million miles long filled with water (also inelastic). Raising or lowering one end or the other should cause an instant reaction on the other side, but nobody has developed an inelastic hose 4x the distance to the moon yet, so it can't really be tested.
  • mserebreny, on 07/23/2008, -2/+3it's sights like these that can reaffirm ones belief in god
  • M724, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2I wish I could see all of those personally in my lifetime.
  • JPong01, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1My only problem with the article is that I don't consider contrails and rocket trails to be light related. Sure it takes light to see them, but that is as far as it goes.
  • curlybracket, on 07/23/2008, -0/+0I have long wondered whether I was the only one that noticed the last one - "Light Pillar" before. During snow storms, you can see one coming from almost every streetlight in my town.
  • Barney255, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Ahhh! My Eyes,
    Rocket Trails, So Bright...
  • Nukingtoolbox, on 07/23/2008, -0/+0Right time, right place, it's just to bad most people won't be able to view such incredible lighting. Nature at it's best, my friend...
  • duckie94, on 07/24/2008, -0/+0these picz are the best! they are so incredibly amazing.. i love the road one especially!
  •  

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