Moonbows Are Real — Rainbows That Only Appear at Night

They're rarer, ghostlier, and hiding in places you can actually visit.

Rainbows don't clock out at sunset. When conditions align, moonlight can paint a rainbow across the night sky — a phenomenon called a moonbow.

The recipe is strict: a bright moon low in the sky, rain or mist opposite it, and darkness deep enough for the faint arc to show.

Because moonlight is so dim, most moonbows appear ghostly white to the naked eye — but long-exposure photos reveal the full spectrum of hidden color.

Waterfall mist makes them almost predictable: Victoria Falls in Africa and Cumberland Falls in Kentucky are famous for moonbows around the full moon.