Two spectacular sights graced DC’s skyline after the rain last night: a double rainbow and, later on, a total lunar eclipse that resulted in a blood moon.
The double rainbow—which forms when light gets reflected twice within a water droplet and often when the sun is low in the sky—could be seen around 8 p.m. last night. However, you would have had to stay up until at least 11:30 p.m. for the blood moon’s full effect. That’s when the moon entered the Earth’s full shadow for an hour, known as “totality,” and glowed red from scattered sunlight coming through Earth’s atmosphere.
While the total lunar eclipse was visible to a majority of the world last night and while double rainbows aren’t exactly rare, there’s something about colorful celestial events next to DC’s stone-white monuments that make them extra special.
Plus, Sunday evening’s sky events may have set the tone for the week. Tomorrow, a House panel will also be thinking skyward, as it will hold an open congressional hearing about UFOs for the first time in more than 50 years.
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Double Luck@over Washington @capitalweather pic.twitter.com/jpsjC1QvQv
— Jim Sheire (@jbsheire) May 16, 2022
An @AmericanAir flight leaves @Reagan_Airport Sunday evening. Do you have to pay extra for the rainbow flight? @capitalweather @WTOPtraffic @ARLnowDOTcom @wtop @hhowardWTOP @StormHour @dougkammerer #weather #rainbow #dcrainbow #aviation pic.twitter.com/BdS4P7ONIH
— Dave Statter (@STATter911) May 16, 2022
I got one decent shot from DuPont Circle just before the total eclipse pic.twitter.com/0DbhvhBmsY
— Sue O’Hora (@SueOHora) May 16, 2022
Who was crazy enough like me to stay up pass midnight to capture the #superflowerbloodmoon #eclipse #lunareclipse #lunareclipse2022 #washingtondc #washingtonmonument @IGDCofficial @PoPville @washingtonian @TheNationalMall @NationalMallNPS @StormHour @ThePhotoHour @spann @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/Kpy0ZutJFA
— Chris Fukuda | Photographer 📸 | DMV Wx (@Chris_FukudaWx) May 16, 2022
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