Gods Descend in “*Kamiarizuki”!? Three Suns and Upside-Down Rainbow

Information from two readers of our blog, Yuu-sama and Arakabu-sama

This light was seen in the Izumo region in *Kannazuki.” I wonder what this light is.

This light resembles the photos of light Mr. Takeshita has released to us. I feel it is celestial light.

Comment by Yuu-sama

October 20, 2013

English translation of a Japanese article: Sankei News – October 18, 2013 –

Gods Descend in “*Kamiaritzuki”!? Three Suns and Upside-Down Rainbow

Weather phenomena in which “solar halo,” a circle of light around the sun, and “sundog,” bright spots of light on either side of the sun were seen = Photographed in Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture on Oct. 17 at 3:35 p.m. by Mr. Daisuke Nishimura with a smartphone

It has been found on 18 that atmospheric optical phenomena, in which it looks as if there were three suns and an upside-down rainbow appears, occurred simultaneously in the Izumo region, Shimane Prefecture. In Izumo, people are celebrating “Kamiarizuki” (October of the lunar calendar) when gods from across the country are believed to get together. Local people are struck with surprise, saying “It looks as if real gods descended.”

According to Mr. Daisuke Nishimura, an office worker in Matue City, (39), he noticed a climatic change in the sky while driving a car at Hirata-cho, Izumo City on October 17 around 3:30 p.m. He saw a circle of light around the sun and bright spots of light with almost the same brightness as the sun, on either side of the sun as well as an upside-down rainbow in the upper part of the sun.

According to Matsue Local Meteorological Observatory, a circle of light around the sun, bright spots of light s on either side and an upside-down rainbow are atmospheric optical phenomena; they are called “solar halo,” “sundog” and “circumzenithal arc,” respectively. All of them are produced when light is reflected by movement of innumerable ice particles which form filmy clouds in the sky. They say three phenomena rarely occur simultaneously.

(Note)

*Kannazuki” and “Kamiarizuki” – “Kannazuki” (Month without Gods) is a traditional name of the tenth month in Japan. In the Izumo region, however, it is called “Kamiarizuki” ( Month with Gods).