Longest lasting rainbow observation

The longest lasting rainbow observation is 8 hours and 58 minutes and was achieved by Chinese Culture University (China) at Yangmingshan, Taipei, Taiwan, China, on 30 November 2017.

This record is not monitored or recognised by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

Photographic evidence of the observation of the rainbow phenomena on the day in question was provided from 06:57 am to 15:55 pm. Throughout the observation, at least one rainbow could be seen and in one instance 4 rainbows were observed.

The Chinese Culture University resides on a mountainside to the north of Taipei. The outdoor viewing platform of the university's Atmospheric Sciences department affords views downwards towards the lower levels of Yangmingshan. The situation of the university, multiple observation locations, combined with the typical atmospheric conditions and the daytime angle of the sun at the end of November created a perfect set of conditions for rainbow observation from the elevated university campuses.

Professors from the University's Atmospheric Sciences department are intending to make observations of the drop in elevation of rainbows during the daytime.

Professors from the University's Atmospheric Sciences department had already witnessed on two separate days visible rainbow phenomena extending over six hours. On the day for which photographic and video evidence was supplied, it became apparent that rainbows would remain visible during the middle of the day, even as the elevation of the sun's angle increased. University professors Chou and Liu requested that students venture outside to record observations of the sun throughout the college day. Hence the university was able to acquire a vast amount of photographic evidence to back up its claim of almost nine hours of continued rainbow observation.

The university's Atmospheric Sciences department is the biggest in Taiwan, with some 250 students.