Stunning weather phenomenon captured on camera

A Sydney photographer has captured a rarely-observed rainbow unreality arena called "iridescent clouds".

Maria Milford was driving to nan Gold Coast erstwhile she spotted nan iridescent clouds complete nan entity successful Woolgoolga, NSW.

She quickly whipped retired her camera to seizure nan phenomenon, which she said lasted a mates of hours. 

"The full time, this effect was successful nan entity — we watched it each nan measurement until sunset from nan car," Milford told 9News.

"I was really amazed that nary 1 astir seemed to notice."

Here's really you tin spot iridescent clouds.

What causes iridescent clouds and really to spot them

If you want to spot iridescent clouds, you request to cognize what to look for. 

The phenomenon, which seems magical, will look arsenic a rainbow shimmering show of colours successful nan entity acknowledgment to nan diffraction of sunlight.

It is astir visible erstwhile nan ray root (the sun aliases moon) is hidden down a bladed furniture of clouds.

The arena is caused by nan diffraction of sunlight by mini h2o droplets successful nan sky.

"The sunlight is being scattered by nan crystal crystals successful nan precocious cirrus cloud, allowing nan spectator to spot nan different colours akin to a rainbow," a spokesperson from nan Bureau said.

It's much apt to hap successful bladed and wispy clouds, but it is imaginable to spot it connected nan edges of thicker clouds arsenic well, nan upwind master said.

How uncommon are iridescent clouds?

The Bureau of Meteorology said while nan arena isn't a uncommon occurrence, it is uncommon to observe it.

The arena happens randomly and there's nary "best" clip of time to spot it - it tin moreover hap astatine night.

It tin beryllium seen erstwhile nan sun aliases satellite is astatine a circumstantial comparative position to nan watching personification and nan unreality coverage.

"The effect is not uncommon, though nan brightness of nan sun itself tin make it difficult to observe astatine times," a BoM spokesperson said.

"Iridescence tin besides beryllium observed successful clouds astir nan moon, but nan effect is typically much muted."

The Bureau warned group should not look straight astatine nan sun, arsenic it tin origin oculus damage. 

"People should ever return attraction erstwhile watching specified phenomena since you are looking straight astatine nan sun, albeit shielded (temporarily) by nan cloud."