A full circular rainbow appeared at Hukou Waterfall in China!
A video was captured and uploaded to YouTube:
Opposite to the common theory that full circular rainbow cannot be seen on land/ground as the land blocks its lower half, a full circular rainbow did really appear under the blue sky beside the cliff in the mist at Hukou Waterfall in China. The time was 4 September 2026, at 4:38 p.m. in the afternoon on the Shaanxi side of Hukou Waterfall, when the sun was shining from the back of the viewer towards the waterfall.
The narrow gully in Hukou (meaning like the narrow opening of a pot) confines the river water and causes a lot of water droplets splashing up, which create a mist above the waterfall, providing a backdrop for rainbows and even rainbow circle to appear.
The following video illustrates how a rainbow appeared in the mist of a waterfall :
It appeared now and then, depending on the amount and span of the mist, as well as the location and the angle of viewing.
This video showed the left side of a rainbow gradually disappeared as the mist reduced in its area and span:
The vast amount of mist is like steam or fog spreading outward and upward, providing the backdrop for rainbows to appear in different angles or spots:
Prior to the full rainbow, the photographer saw 3/4 of a circular rainbow beside a cliff wall:
This inspired him to infer that there might also be a full circular rainbow to be seen somewhere. So he kept walking around, changing his locations and viewing angle to find it.
Ultimately, he did find the full circle of a rainbow with the lower half in the level under where he was standing and he captured it with great effort against the splashing water droplets!
However, the photo mode cannot capture the whole circle:
Thankfully, the video mode could take in the full circle clearly :
This was the first time in his life meeting a full circular rainbow, which brought him unforgettable memories and joy, although he got wet through and water droplets kept splashing onto the camera lens, as the video showed:
The current theory states that we can't see a full circular rainbow on land.
But this video clip is a sound proof that there can be full rainbows seen on land. In this example, it was at the side of a waterfall cliff. Where the mist is enough, a full circular rainbow can really be seen in the mist, particularly if another layer of rocks below can help the lower part of the rainbow to stand out from the water background.
Summary
Factors for rainbow formation above waterfalls are: sufficient water droplets to develop a mist. The mist acts like a backdrop for the rainbow to show up in front of the viewer.
Opposite to the current theory, a full circular rainbow or rainbow circle can also be seen on land, factors are weather, timing, suitable viewing spot, distance, and angle.
P.B.
Thanks to the photographer for giving his consent to share his photos and videos in this blog and on my YouTube channel's playlist. The link for this playlist is:
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