What are those colorful rainbow clouds in the sky?

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Multiple viewers sent us pictures of clouds with the color of a rainbow.

These beautiful clouds are called cloud iridescence, and these are iridescent cirrus clouds.

WSYX Chief Meteorologist Marshall McPeak explained that sunlight is refracted by the ice crystals in the clouds to create a rainbow.

It's like holding a prism to the sunlight, with the ice crystals in the clouds acting as a natural prism.

The prism scatters the light resulting in these iridescent cirrus clouds.

These photos were submitted by viewers in Plain City, Hilliard, Gahanna, and Linden area of Columbus.

Show us your photos here!