Breathtaking photographs capture rare 'fire rainbow' phenomenon as sun sets

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Painting the sky in breathtaking brushstrokes of colour, these spectacular clouds were captured across the north of England as the sun started to set. The phenomenon, known as cloud iridescence, has been dubbed a 'fire rainbow' because of the spectrum of hues it throws out across the sky.

The 'fire rainbow clouds', a fairly uncommon phenomenon, are created when sunlight passes through tiny ice crystals that form tens of thousands of feet in the air. The colours produced are similar to those seen in oil films on puddles.