What's a Moonbow?

Rainbows, yes, but also MOONbows! The conditions have to be just right so you'll have to be pretty lucky. A friend of mine has spent most of his life here and has only seen 3 of them. But 3! They do exist. It makes scientific sense, I've just never thought of it before.

A friend of mine in Monteverde, Costa Rica just saw one the other night! She said it was a windy night with a full moon. Incredible!

Seeing a moonbow (also known as a moon rainbow or lunar rainbow) are the same as a regular solar rainbow, but using moonlight instead of sunlight refracting off water in the air.

For the conditions to be right, you need a full (or almost full) moon, water droplets in the air (Monteverde is commonly misty), the moon a low angle across from the mist/rain, a dark sky (little light pollution),

They have been known to be seen in:
Cumberland Falls, Kentucky - famous for regular moonbows
Yosemite Falls, California - especially in spring with heavy snowmelt
Victoria Falls (Zambia/Zimbabwe), Hawaii, Costa Rica - it's rare, but they've been experienced in these locations, too.