On the night of July 7, 1933, between 9:50 and 9:53 o'c1ock, the eastern arch of a rainbow was seen by the light of a full moon directly to the north of the Utah Parks Lodge on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The bright moonlight followed a light shower and the sky was patchy with slowly drifting cimulus clouds. The coloring of the rainbow was so distinct that the series - red, orange, yellow, green and violet - could be distinguished clearly while the arch slowly faded from the crest downward.

Rainbows following showers are of fairly common occurrence in the Grand Canyon region. Frequently, great rainbows arching over the Painted Desert, adding more color and beauty to that magic country, are seen from Cape Royal. It is an awe inspiring spectacle to look down in the canyon onto a double, or occasionally a triple rainbow, or a rainbow forming a complete circle, as has been reported occasionally.

There are few who can say they have looked down onto rainbows, but there are fewer who can say that they have seen a rainbow by full moonlight.

Paul Kraus, Ranger Naturalist.