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Marlene Pointon is still pinching herself at the sheer joy of being in the right place at the right time to see her first fogbow and capture the fascinating phenomenon on camera.
Key points:
- Fogbows form when sunlight interacts with much smaller water droplets contained in fog or mist, rather than rain
- The weather phenomena are also known as ghost rainbows
- While common in other parts of the world, fogbows are less common in Australia due to the country's close proximity to the equator and the angle of the sun
The Goomeri grazier lives "up in the clouds". She walked down the hill from her home to photograph cattle in the early morning fog.
"I looked up and here's this white rainbow. Oh my god, it was really exciting," Ms Pointon said.
"I'm 69 years old and I thought I had discovered something fantastic.
"As quick as it appeared it disappeared."
Ms Pointon turned to the internet to discover the science behind the rare sight.
Rainbow's ghostly cousin
Also called a ghost rainbow, a fogbow is similar to its colourful meteorological cousin, but instead forms when sunlight interacts with much smaller water droplets contained in fog or mist, rather than rain.
Sunlight is diffracted as well as refracted by the fine droplets, creating a pale and wider arch than a rainbow.
"They are fairly common in some parts of the world, but you wouldn't say they're common in Australia and the reason for that is the angle of the sun," said the ABC resident meteorologist, Tom Saunders.
"Being in Australia, we're fairly close to the equator, especially in Queensland and therefore the sun generally is quite high in the sky and the 'goldilocks' angle for [viewing] any rainbow or fogbow is 42 degrees."
Professional photographer Belinda McMahon shared memories from a magical morning that started out as a misty horse photo shoot at low tide on Sarina beach.
As she strode out into the ocean and looked back, a fogbow appeared before her eyes.
"I've always been fascinated with weather, growing up on a farm," Ms McMahon said.
"I think [fogbows] are just beautiful and it was incredible to see because they are such a rarity.
"It was an amazing morning, and it just went so quickly."
On the edge
Ms McMahon's friend and fellow commercial photographer Kate Wall, who lives on Queensland's stunning Scenic Rim, has become skilled at spotting early morning fogbows in her horse paddocks in the misty cooler months.
"People didn't believe that they were real until I had the photographs captured and, even then, people still say, 'No, it's photoshopped!'" Ms Wall said.
"I now know to look for them on the edge of the fog, so when the fog is starting to lift, or you get to the edge of a fog patch and the sun can come through.
"That's when you get the refraction of light which creates a fogbow."
Ghost rainbows are best viewed when the observer has their back to the sun.