QCOSTARICA – Residents of the Central Valley, especially in the area of Escazu, San Jose, Pavas and Hatillo were left awestruck and mystified by what the saw in the sky Tuesday afternoon.
The spectacle went viral on the social networks when a witness to a video and posted it on YouTube.
The video, appears to be taken from the Avenida Escazu commercial centre was uploaded by Jessielou121 (Jessie Montealegre). As of this morning had 165,831 views.
In her YouTube bio Jessie says she moved to Costa Rica from North Carolina when marrying her best friend, Jose.
Though many on the social media have theories on what caused the light formation, from aliens or UFOs to a celestial appearance, experts say the rare weather phenomenon is called “cloud iridescence.”
Accoding to Eladio Solano of the Instituto Meteriologico Nacional (IMN) – Costa Rica’s national weather service, the colourful luminescence is caused by the sun’s light being refracted by water droplets and ice crystals in the cloud.
In a report by ABC News, we learn of a similar sky spectacle in South Carolina, US, last month, dubbed a “fire rainbow.”
