A hiker has immortalized a magnificent iridescent cloud above the Cirque de Gavarnie.

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Georges Jojo

It is a moment of grace offered by nature that lived a hiker walking two weeks ago in the circus of Gavarnie, in the Hautes-Pyrénées.

Posted on his Facebook page, his photo shows a funny colorful cloud, with rainbow reflections, which has attracted many comments from Internet users.

In reality, it is an iridescent or iridescent cloud, a rare meteorological phenomenon that can occur day or night.

Scattering of light rays on the cloud surface

Arrived at Cirque de Gavarnie, around 8:45 am, the hiker noticed "that a somewhat bizarre cloud formation was taking place with some rainbow-colored reflections".

These thin clouds are formed when the spacing of drops or ice crystals causes, by diffraction, an iridescence of light, giving a colored appearance to the cloud, reminiscent of the characteristics of a rainbow.

“I took a first photo then I continued to walk while looking at these clouds and they developed by forming these incredible shapes and taking more and more intense colors, tells Georges Jojo to

20 Minutes

.

This phenomenon only lasted 15 minutes.

At the time I did not believe it.

This phenomenon is quite rare and I have never observed it since I have been hiking.

I had the impression of experiencing something out of the ordinary… I only realized when I saw the photos on the computer and the likes they generated.

"

This phenomenon, which lasts two to three minutes, is most often observed at altitude.

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