The Camden Haven could sing a rainbow when one lit up the sky on Saturday, February 3. 

It was a special treat for residents who described it as ‘spectacular’ and ‘a beauty’ via social media. 

A spokesperson from the Bureau of Meteorology said rainbows are optical phenomena that occur when sunlight and rain combine in a specific way.

“When white sunlight enters a raindrop, it changes direction (refracts) at the boundary of the raindrop,” he said. 

“As different wavelengths within the sunlight refract at slightly different angles, the colours spread out and separate.

“Some of the light bounces off the back of the raindrop (reflection) and as this light comes back out of the raindrop it refracts again, spreading the colours out further.”

The spokesperson said bright sunlight, suspended droplets of water (rain, spray or fog), and the right angle of the sun are essential conditions to see a rainbow.

“For rainbows to be visible in the sky, the sun must be behind the observer, at 42° elevation or lower,” he said.