Chapter 1: The Fascinating Moonbow

A moonbow, often referred to as a nighttime rainbow, might seem like a fanciful term, especially according to the Spelling Bee.

Photo by Andrew Sterling on Unsplash

Today's letters from the New York Times Spelling Bee are:

Art: Iva Reztok

B, E, L, N, O, W, and center M (all words must include M)

According to Merriam-Webster…

Credit: merriam-webster.com

Oh, dear little dictionary! How can you assert that "moonbow" isn't valid when the New York Times suggests otherwise?

For additional intriguing insights, take a look at the Spelling Bee Master.

What’s your favorite word from today’s challenge?

My Two Cents on the Spelling Bee

In my experience with the Spelling Bee, I tend to excel when there are fewer words and points to collect. By “excel,” I mean reaching the ultimate goal: the coveted Queen Bee logo. Spoiler alert for those who haven’t yet completed today’s game: I’m diving into the details of today’s challenge and sharing my Queen Bee achievement. If you prefer to avoid spoilers, feel free to jump to the next section.

Please scroll down slowly, as I would appreciate those extra views.

During any game, the Spelling Bee ranks all levels except for the top one, Queen Bee.

Screenshotted by Iva Reztok

However, the game doesn’t disclose the highest score (Queen Bee) or the total count of accepted words. This makes sense, as part of the challenge lies in discovering how many words one can create, rather than being handed a specific number. Even when given maximum points, players can often deduce the number of words available once they reach a certain score.

I've realized—just as many players have—that achieving the “Genius” level is roughly 70% of reaching Queen Bee. So, I can generally estimate the maximum score for each day with some accuracy. For instance, today, dividing the Genius score by 0.70 yields an approximate top score of around 94.28, which is quite close to the actual score you’ll see below.

Screenshotted by Iva Reztok

This image represents my prize for today, the level above "Genius." I don’t reach this level often, but I have improved significantly this year, managing it about once or twice monthly. I typically achieve this feat when the scores are lower. I find the game much more enjoyable when the Genius score is 150 or less. High Genius scores above 200 can be quite frustrating. My skills have improved so that I can reach Genius almost daily, but I often aim for Queen Bee when I need to find more words and points.

The Philosophy of Moonbows

The term "moonbow" is quite straightforward; it combines “moon” (our solitary natural satellite) and the latter part of “rainbow.” This prompts an interesting question: why aren’t rainbows referred to as "sunbows"? Fear not! Silly Little Dictionary is here to tackle all your curiosities—except for the timeless mystery of “Who is the murderer in The Mousetrap?”

Credit: merriam-webster.com

Now, let’s consider another question: why is a moonbow defined as “a rainbow produced by light from the moon” and not “a sunbow formed by light from the moon”?

I honestly don’t have an answer.

You might be wondering why I claimed to address all your questions. Well, the last question was posed by me, and I never asserted I could respond to every inquiry.

So, where were we? Ah, yes, moonbows, sunbows, and rainbows…

Credit: merriam-webster.com

Wow! That’s a lot more definitions than I anticipated, and that’s just for the noun form. There’s even a rainbow adjective and verb—yes! You can “rainbow” to your heart’s delight! Hooray!

Definition 1b mentions fogbow, prompting me to investigate further.

Credit: merriam-webster.com

Fogbows, or “white rainbows,” occur in fog rather than rain. I won’t delve too deeply into fogbows now, as they might appear in a future Spelling Bee puzzle. But here's a picture of one taken in the Gulf of Mexico/Suwannee River.

Photo by John usmc

Ultimately, the intriguing question of why the moonbow was named as such will likely persist for generations.

Moon River of Colors

Interestingly, moonbows are also known as “white rainbows” or even “feelybows.” The criteria for their formation mirror those of rainbows: light must refract through water droplets, with the light source positioned opposite the bow from the observer.

Photo by Arne-kaiser

In this instance, the light source is the Moon. However, considering that moonlight is merely sunlight reflected off the Moon's surface, one could argue that moonbows are just regular rainbows sporting a more romantic name.

Thus, we have unraveled the mystery!

Since the sunlight is reflected, moonbows tend to be dimmer than their daytime counterparts. This is why they’re often harder for the human eye to perceive, resulting in the term “white rainbow.”

According to Wikipedia:

Moonbows are best viewed when the Moon is at or near its brightest phase, a full moon. For optimal visibility, the Moon should be low in the sky (less than 42 degrees, ideally lower) and not obscured by clouds. Additionally, the night sky must be quite dark. Since the sky is not entirely dark during a rising or setting full moon, moonbows can typically be observed only two to three hours before sunrise or after sunset. Moreover, water droplets (from rain or spray) must be present opposite the Moon. This combination of conditions makes moonbows much rarer than their daytime counterparts. They can also appear when rain coincides with full moonrise at extreme latitudes during winter months, when longer hours of darkness allow for better observation.

Currently, there are no cited references for this information, so take it with caution.

The most effective way to spot a moonbow is by looking for those created by water spray, commonly at waterfalls. In North America, notable locations include Niagara Falls (both U.S. and Canada), Yosemite National Park in California, and Cumberland Falls in Kentucky. Victoria Falls, located in Africa on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, is also famous for its spray moonbows.

Photo by Calvin Bradshaw (http://photos.calvinbradshaw.com)

If you are fortunate enough to witness a moonbow, remember that it’s an optical illusion. After all, according to the Spelling Bee, the term "moonbow" is merely a ghost word.

For more on other intriguing words, check out my previous entry on another ghost word, "Omnium," just in time for the Olympics, which the Spelling Bee also rejected!

What is a Dord?

You might be wondering what a "dord" is. Here’s the scoop:

'Dord': A Ghost Word

One of the questions people often ask lexicographers is whether a word can be secretly added to a dictionary.

www.merriam-webster.com

Explore the stunning phenomenon of moonbows at Yosemite Falls, including tips for capturing incredible lunar rainbows!

Discover the beauty of Cumberland Falls' moonbow in this captivating segment from Kentucky Life, showcasing the magic of nature at night.