Double Rainbow Astrophotography Zion National Park

During my trip to Zion National Park, the weather was far from ideal for astrophotography. Clouds moved quickly across the sky, rain showers passed through the canyon, and the night sky remained hidden.

But sometimes nature offers something unexpected.

After one of the storms, sunlight broke through the clouds and illuminated the moist desert air. What followed was spectacular — a double rainbow stretching above the dramatic sandstone cliffs of Zion.

It made me pause and think: Is a rainbow astrophotography?

Technically, a rainbow is an optical atmospheric phenomenon caused by the interaction of sunlight with water droplets. The Sun — our nearest star — provides the light source. In that sense, this image captures a phenomenon directly created by astronomical light interacting with Earth's atmosphere.

So while it may not show stars, planets, or the Milky Way, it still documents a beautiful example of astronomy meeting atmospheric physics.

 

Double Rainbow Astrophotography Zion National Park

Why Does a Double Rainbow Happen?

A primary rainbow forms when sunlight enters a raindrop, bends (refracts), reflects once inside the droplet, and exits — separating into colors.

A secondary rainbow appears when light reflects twice inside the droplet before exiting. This second internal reflection causes:

• Reversed color order (red on the inside, violet on the outside)
• A fainter and wider outer arc
• A darker region between the two rainbows known as Alexander’s Band

Double rainbows are less common because they require:

• Strong, low-angle sunlight (often late afternoon)
• Large numbers of evenly distributed raindrops
• The observer positioned with the Sun behind them

In desert environments like Zion, storms can be brief but intense — creating perfect conditions when sunlight returns.

Even though this was not the astrophotography session I had planned, this moment reminded me that sky photography is not limited to night. Sometimes the most powerful celestial light comes from the Sun itself.

Related Astrophotography & Sky Phenomena Posts

These posts explore how celestial light interacts with Earth’s atmosphere and environment — from atmospheric optics to interplanetary dust and extreme dark-sky effects.

• Lightning Photography — Brooklyn NYC Storm
  Capturing atmospheric electricity during a summer storm over New York City.
• SpaceX Launch Over Saint Martin Island (Feb 27, 2023)
  A dramatic twilight plume illuminated by high-altitude sunlight.
• Comet SOHO-5008 During the Total Solar Eclipse (April 8, 2024)
  A rare daytime comet visible only during totality.
• Why the Equatorial Dark Sky Airglow More Red — Tanzania & Galápagos
  Exploring red airglow under equatorial Bortle Class 1 skies.
• Zodiacal Light — Bolivia Astrophotography
  Sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust before dawn.
• Milky Way Casting Shadows — Atacama Desert
  Extreme dark-sky conditions where starlight creates visible ground shadows.

Orion Constellation Astrophotography Around the World

One of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky is Orion, often called “The Hunter.” Its distinctive shape is easy to identify thanks to the three bright stars that form Orion’s Belt — Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka.

Orion is especially popular among astrophotographers because it contains some of the most beautiful deep-sky objects visible even with modest equipment. The most famous of these is the Orion Nebula (M42), one of the brightest stellar nurseries in the sky.

Below is a small collection of my Orion constellation astrophotography taken from different locations around the world — including the Negev Desert in Israel, Puerto Rico, Iceland, and New York City. These images show how Orion appears under very different observing conditions, from dark desert skies and tropical horizons to aurora displays and heavily light-polluted urban environments.

From dark skies Orion reveals rich star fields and faint nebulae, while even from urban locations it remains one of the easiest and most rewarding constellations for astrophotography.

Orion Constellation over the Negev Desert, Israel – Astrophotography

Wide-field astrophotography of Orion taken from the Negev Desert, Israel clearly shows the different colors of its brightest stars. While most of the stars appear blue-white, Betelgeuse stands out with its yellow-orange to reddish color. This happens because Betelgeuse is a massive red supergiant, much cooler than the hot blue stars in Orion such as Rigel and the stars of Orion’s Belt.

Orion Constellation Astrophotography Culebra Island Puerto Rico

This wide-field Orion image taken from Culebra Island, Puerto Rico under Bortle class 3–4 skies reveals many nebulae that form part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex. Visible in the photograph are Barnard’s Loop, the bright Orion Nebula (M42), the Horsehead Nebula in front of IC 434, the faint Witch Head Nebula (IC 2118), and more distant objects such as the Rosette Nebula and the large emission region known as the Seagull Nebula (IC 2177).

Orion Constellation with Northern Lights – Iceland Astrophotography

In this photograph taken in Iceland, the Orion constellation appears together with the Northern Lights. A soft glow from the Moon is visible in the upper left corner of the image, while an aurora band moves diagonally across the sky from the lower right toward the upper left, partially crossing the constellation. Despite these bright sky conditions, Orion remains easy to identify thanks to its bright stars and the distinctive line of Orion’s Belt.

Orion Nebula (M42) photographed from urban New York City

The Orion Nebula (M42) photographed from heavily light-polluted New York City. By stacking many tracked exposures it is still possible to reveal nebula structure even under bright urban skies.

Orion Constellation Astrophotography

This photograph shows the Orion constellation above tropical palm trees at Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort, Puerto Rico. The bright star Sirius in the nearby constellation Canis Major is also visible. Because Orion lies close to the celestial equator, it rises high in the sky when observed from tropical locations, making it an excellent target for wide-field astrophotography.

Orion Constellation over Kfar Szold Kibbutz, Israel – Astrophotography

This photograph shows the Orion constellation above the trees of Kfar Szold Kibbutz, Israel. The familiar line of Orion’s Belt makes the constellation easy to recognize even in a wide-field landscape scene. The image also captures the bright star Sirius from the nearby constellation Canis Major, one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

Orion Constellation over Lighthouse, Puerto Rico – Night Sky Astrophotography

The Orion constellation rising above a lighthouse in Puerto Rico. The three stars of Orion’s Belt form a clear line in the sky, making the constellation easy to recognize even in wide-field night landscapes.

Because Orion lies on the celestial equator, it can be observed from almost anywhere on Earth. This makes it one of the few constellations that astrophotographers can capture from many different continents and climates. From tropical Caribbean skies to northern aurora landscapes and even light-polluted cities, Orion remains one of the most recognizable constellations of the Northern Hemisphere winter sky.

Bright Stars and Deep-Sky Objects in Orion

• Betelgeuse – red supergiant marking Orion’s shoulder
• Rigel – bright blue supergiant marking Orion’s foot
• Alnitak, Alnilam, Mintaka – the three stars of Orion’s Belt
• M42 Orion Nebula – bright emission nebula and stellar nursery

Related Orion Astrophotography

• Orion Nebula (M42) Astrophotography from New York City
• Orion Constellation over Lighthouse – Puerto Rico Astrophotography
• Puerto Rico Astrophotography – Orion Constellation
• Orion Constellation Astrophotography – Israel Night Sky
• Orion Constellation with Northern Lights – Iceland Astrophotography

Other Constellation Astrophotography

If you enjoy constellation photography, you may also find these posts interesting. They show other constellations and annotated night-sky images captured from different locations around the world.

• Big Dipper (Ursa Major) Astrophotography Around the World
• Corona Constellation during the Coronavirus Pandemic
• Crux (Southern Cross) – Milky Way Astrophotography from the Galápagos
• Annotated Southern Sky Astrophotography – Crux, Centaurus, Carina and the Magellanic Clouds
• Urban Constellation Astrophotography – Lyra and Cassiopeia from New York City
• Annotated Summer Milky Way – Constellations and Nebulae

Green Sky Utah Airglow Astrophotography Canon 60Da

The sky is green, the night is dark - as simple as possible. This photo was done at Bryce Canyon, Utah. Canon 60Da, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, 30.0 sec; f/3.5; ISO 6400

Green Sky Utah Airglow Astrophotography Canon 60Da

The natural moonless night sky is dark but not black; it is not even blue (no scattering light from sun and moon). Earth atmosphere  emits green, red, orange, yellow light- Airglow!

About 60% of the natural brightness of the night sky at zenith is made up of Airglow. Maximum brightest usually appears at about 10-15 degrees above the horizon, because of the greater the depth of atmosphere at this angle. Airglow is not always uniform. Gravity waves may create considerable variation of Airglow brightness.

You can see Airglow only in real dark sky, but naked eye could not recognize colors. Photos with long exposure able get the colors of Airglow.

The usually dominant color of airglow is green originated from molecular oxygen at 90 to 100 km high. Orange and reddish hue caused by atomic oxygen in 150-300 km above the ground, Yellow light comes from sodium atoms in a layer at about 90 km.