Yes, rainbows are possible at night, although they are less common and are called moonbows (or lunar rainbows).
Moonbows occur under specific conditions:
- Presence of Water Droplets: Just like daytime rainbows, moonbows require water droplets in the air, typically from rain or mist from a waterfall.
- Moonlight: Instead of sunlight, moonbows are formed by the light reflected from the moon. A full or nearly full moon provides the brightest light, making moonbows more likely to be visible.
- Dark Sky: The sky needs to be dark for the faint light of a moonbow to be seen. Light pollution can easily wash out a moonbow.
Because moonlight is much weaker than sunlight, moonbows are fainter and often appear white to the naked eye. However, long-exposure photographs can often capture the colors of a moonbow.
