Real or illusion? Rare ‘rainbow clouds’ spotted in sky over Indonesia. Watch

The caption of the post shared on Monday read," Amazing! Rare “rainbow clouds” were spotted in the sky over Indonesia.

Rare rainbow-coloured clouds were spotted over parts of Indonesia, drawing attention on social media. The visual showed soft, multicoloured bands appearing across a thin layer of cloud, creating a spectrum-like effect in the sky. The phenomenon was captured in photographs that quickly circulated online.

Rare ‘rainbow clouds’ spotted in sky over Indonesia. (X@nexta_tv)

The picture shows a sky scene with a large, towering cloud formation against a deep blue background. Along the edge of the cloud, a striking band of iridescent colours appears—shades of pink, purple, green, yellow, and blue blending smoothly like a natural rainbow halo.

The caption of the post shared on Monday read," Amazing! Rare “rainbow clouds” were spotted in the sky over Indonesia.

This phenomenon occurs when sunlight passes through very tiny water droplets or ice crystals in clouds. If the clouds are thin and located close to the Sun or the Moon, the light gets “split” into different colors — creating bright, iridescent rainbow-like patterns."

Social media users shared mixed reactions after the images surfaced. One user described the scene as “the sun slipping a prism into the ceiling,” while another questioned whether it was a real phenomenon or an optical illusion. Others simply shared appreciation, calling it a “beautiful moment in the sky.” The posts highlighted curiosity rather than concern.

"They are called halos, and are not very rare as such. Some forms are much more rare than others. It's difficult to classify this one, as it behind the cloud that looks like a thundercloud," a user wrote.