Iridescent 'rainbow clouds' provide backdrop for S'pore Red Lions parachuting at NDP preview

A rare sight was captured on all forms of media for posterity during the National Day Parade (NDP) preview on Aug. 3.

The Singapore Red Lions parachute team was seen descending against a backdrop of iridescent "rainbow clouds".

One piece of footage, captured on video by a Mothership reader surnamed Yap, showed the scene unfold from the vantage point at the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) observation deck.

Right place, right time

Yap said that they were lucky to be "at the right place at the right time".

The iridescent cloud appeared at around 6:10pm and lasted for 10 minutes before vanishing.

Meanwhile, the Red Lions made their jump from their C-130 transport helicopter at around 6:12pm.

This made for a idyllic scene with the parachute team — little more than the silhouettes of ants at that distance — descending against the rainbow-coloured background.

Here is Yap's full video from the day (fast-forward to 0:40 for the scene):

Photos of the sight were also shared to the "Cloudspotting and Skyspotting Singapore" Facebook group the same day.

Not the first time

What Yap saw was a rare natural phenomenon known as cloud iridescence.

This happens when tiny ice crystals or water droplets in the air diffract light to create a rainbow effect.

Cloud iridescence usually occur behind fluffy cumulus clouds, giving rise to their beautiful outline.

The colours seen in cloud iridescence are often randomly distributed, compared to colours in similar phenomena, such as the circumhorizon arcs.

It is not the first time such iridescent clouds have been spotted in Singapore.

This year alone, they've been seen at places like Bukit Timah and East Coast Park.

Top image courtesy of Yap & from Koh See Tien / Facebook.