Photographers capture different views of rainbow north of Ruidoso

Two photographers in different places north of Ruidoso Sunday captured a strong rainbow as it arched over Sierra Blanca Peak in the Sacramento Mountains.

While both were struck by the beauty of the refractive spectacle, Joyce Westebur, who snapped the shot at Alto Lake also wanted people to be aware that the ice was thin in spots and the lake is deep.The village Parks and Recreation Department put up notices warning of the danger.

While Westebur was taking her pictures at the lake, photographer David Tremblay was busy with a camera a little further north.

"At this time in the morning the sun is low to the horizon, therefore the rainbow reaches high into the sky," he said. "This rainbow is exceptionally bright, adding to the beauty.  Monjeau (Peak) appears to be holding the pot of gold. There is a very faint secondary rainbow on the left of Monjeau, just a slight reddened sky."

His photo was taken about 9 a.m.

Tremblay pointed out that on terra firma, It is possible to recreate the refraction of light seen in rainbows by using a glass prism.

"The number of colors seen in refracted light can be as many as 100," he said. "However, due to the sheer number of variables in forming a rainbow, the number of colors visible can change greatly. The seven colors associated with rainbows - red, orange, yellow, green, blue. indigo and violet, can be traced back to Isaac Newton, which he associated with the seven notes in a musical scale."