MetOp-A Rainbow Flare

From: Gerhard HOLTKAMP (grd.holtkamp@t-online.de)
Date: Tue Mar 31 2009 - 21:32:05 UTC

  • Next message: Marco Langbroek: "SATOBS ML (4353), 31 March 2009: USA 129"

    Observing a MetOp-A flare tonight at 20:01:17 UTC, 31-MAR-09, I visually had 
    the impression of a yellowisch/orange color. But checking the picture I took 
    of it showed a distinct rainbow effect. In the four seconds surrounding 
    maximum the color changed from green via yellow to orange. Maximum itself was 
    at the border between green and yellow. Another observer a few km south of my 
    position recorded the same phenomenon using a different camera with different 
    settings. So the effect is real.
    
    This means that different colors reflect in slightly different directions from 
    the Metop-ASCAT antenna surfaces. Although I have seen and also photographed 
    a number of Metop flares this is the first time that I observed this rainbow 
    behaviour (although I suspected it already).
    
    Gerhard HOLTKAMP
    Darmstadt, Germany
    49.8822N, 8.6558E
    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subscribe/Unsubscribe info, Frequently Asked Questions, SeeSat-L archive:  
    http://www.satobs.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Mar 31 2009 - 21:36:19 UTC