How one can See the Spectacular Moonbow at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in Kentucky in 2023

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Almost 100 individuals crowded the Higher Overlook, eagerly gazing into the darkish abyss above the thundering waterfall on the lookout for a touch of a lunar rainbow. It was a superbly clear evening with twinkling stars above and the moonlight was beaming brightly. Someplace within the mist above Cumberland Falls, I may see the faint moonbow.

After which my digicam’s shutter clicked. The brilliant LCD got here to life. There was the picture of a superb lunar rainbow reflecting within the water droplets within the air.

It was the primary time I’d seen the Cumberland Falls moonbow in Kentucky. And years later, it’s nonetheless one thing I take into consideration each month. If you wish to witness this phenomenal pure occasion, right here is every thing you have to know to plan one of the best journey.

What’s a Moonbow?

The primary time I visited Cumberland Falls State Resort Park it was overcast and dreary. But it surely was my first time, so I parked the automobile and walked the brief distance to the highest of the roaring waterfall. I didn’t keep for lengthy, however I mentally bookmarked the park for a future journey.

Then, simply as I used to be leaving, a park ranger requested me a query that may change every thing. “Are you coming again tomorrow for the moonbow?”

It was the primary time I’d heard the time period, so I needed to look it up. A “moonbow” is a naturally occurring occasion when moonlight is mirrored off water droplets within the air round a waterfall and creates a colourful lunar rainbow.

Moonbows are considerably uncommon as a result of it requires three components working in live performance: a full moon, a cloudless evening, and plenty of water droplets within the air. Right here’s the way it all works collectively:

A full moon will replicate about 13% of the solar’s mild again to Earth. That’s in regards to the minimal quantity of sunshine required for a moonbow to look.

As a result of the total depth of the total moon is required to see a moonbow, it must be a cloudless evening. Even faint whisps of clouds are sufficient to dam a moonbow from showing.

Lastly, the moonlight requires a variety of water droplets within the air to replicate and create the colourful rainbow. Small waterfalls won’t ever have a moonbow as a result of there should not sufficient water droplets within the air. Huge, churning waterfalls that kick up a visual mist through the day are greatest.

Taking all these into consideration, Cumberland Falls in Kentucky is likely one of the greatest locations within the Western Hemisphere to see a moonbow.

Cumberland Falls Moonbow Dates in 2023

Use this chart to plan your journey to see the Cumberland Falls moonbow. The very best time is the evening of the total moon, however anytime inside two days earlier than or after can be nice instances to see it. Plan one of the best time every evening to reach to make sure you have most moonlight for the moonbow.

Listed below are the Cumberland Falls Moonbow dates in 2023:

Dates in daring are the total moon

January

Wednesday, January 4 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 5 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday, January 6 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 7 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, January 8 8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

February

Friday, February 3 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 4 7:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 5 8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Monday, February 6 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 7 9:30 p.m. – 11:30 a.m.

March

Sunday, March 5 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Monday, March 6 9:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 7 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Wednesday, March 8 11:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.
Thursday, March 9 12:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.

April

Tuesday, April 4 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 5 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Thursday, April 6 11:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Friday, April 7 11:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 8 1:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m.

Could

Wednesday, Could 3 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Thursday, Could 4 10:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Friday, Could 5 11:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Saturday, Could 6 1:00 a.m. – 3:00 a.m.
Sunday, Could 7 2:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m.

June

Thursday, June 1 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Friday, June 2 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Saturday, June 3 11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Sunday, June 4 12:30 a.m. – 2:30 a.m.
Monday, June 5 1:30 a.m. – 3:30 a.m.

July

Saturday, July 1 9:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 2 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Monday, July 3 11:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.
Tuesday, July 4 12:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Wednesday, July 5 12:30 a.m. – 2:30 a.m.

August

Sunday, July 30 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Monday, July 31 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Tuesday, August 1 11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Wednesday, August 2 11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Thursday, August 3 11:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.
Monday, August 28 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 29 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Wednesday, August 30 10:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Thursday, August 31 11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.
Friday, September 1 11:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m.

September

Wednesday, September 27 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 28 9:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Friday, September 29 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.
Saturday, September 30 10:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.
Sunday, October 1 11:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

October

Thursday, October 26 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Friday, October 27 8:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 28 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 29 9:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Monday, October 30 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

November

Saturday, November 25 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 26 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Monday, November 27 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 28 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 29 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

December

Sunday, December 24 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Monday, December 25 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, December 26 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday, December 27 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 28 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Attending to Cumberland Falls State Resort Park

I returned to Cumberland Falls State Resort Park a 12 months after studying in regards to the moonbow. I used to be staying at a cabin within the Huge South Fork Nationwide River & Recreation about 45 minutes away. For months I had deliberate to see the moonbow – the time was lastly approaching.

The park is hidden, however simple to seek out alongside KY Freeway 90 – it’s solely a couple of 20-minute drive from I-75. However it’ll really feel like for much longer on the winding, two-lane freeway. It’s a scenic drive throughout sunlight hours, however at evening it looks like a tunnel on a carnival journey.

There may be loads of parking on the customer middle beside the river. However on the evening of a moonbow, significantly if the situations are favorable, the parking zone regularly fills up. If the parking zone is full, attempt parking on the picnic space throughout the highway – however watch out strolling throughout the highway at evening!

7351 KY Freeway 90, Corbin, KY | 606-528-8412 | https://parks.ky.gov/corbin/parks/resort/cumberland-falls-state-resort-park

Insider Tip: Plan to reach on the park about 3 hours earlier than the Meridian Passing Time – see the chart above – to ensure a parking house. In search of one thing to do whereas ready for the moonbow? Deliver a folding chair and stroll about ten minutes on the Moonbow Path to a seashore space beside the river.

Greatest Place to See the Cumberland Falls Moonbow

After discovering parking, head towards the customer middle. There isn’t a admission payment for seeing the moonbow, however you’ll must move by means of the customer middle advanced to achieve the waterfall.

The very best place to see the Cumberland Falls moonbow is the Higher Overlook. It’s lower than a five-minute stroll alongside a paved path from the customer middle. The overlook is located on the prime of the waterfall simply toes from the churning water. Metallic rails cemented into the uncovered rocks retains individuals a secure distance away from the turbulent water.

From this overlook, you’ll see the total spectacle of the moonbow.

The appropriately named Moonbow Path descends a flight of concrete stairs, resulting in a hidden Decrease Overlook. Though this was my favourite place to view the waterfall by daylight, it was not a very good place to see the moonbow.

Greatest Time to See the Moonbow

Is a full moon approaching? Will or not it’s a cloudless evening? Is that waterfall churning? Even when all these situations are met, you continue to must know when to go to the park to see the moonbow.

And that may be a tough reply.

For one of the best and brightest moonbow, you’ll need to wait no less than an hour after sundown. That’s simple within the winter months, however in the summertime the sundown could be as late as 9 p.m. You additionally don’t to attend too late. When the moon is greater than 45 levels above the horizon, the depth of the lunar rainbow will fade.

The very best time to see the moonbow is about two hours after moonrise. However plan to remain no less than two hours. In the course of the summer season months, the moon doesn’t rise as excessive within the sky, so it takes longer for the moonlight to get above the encircling bushes. In the summertime months, it is perhaps obligatory to remain 5 – 6 hours to see one of the best moonbow

Suggestions for a Incredible Expertise

Listed below are a number of suggestions that will help you take advantage of out of your journey to witness the Cumberland Falls Moonbow.

  • Arrive early. You gained’t be capable of see one of the best impact of the moonbow till about an hour or two after sundown, however I’d nonetheless advocate arriving early to snag a parking spot.
  • Don’t wait till the final day. There’s a five-day window every month to see the moonbow. Strive going a day or two earlier than the total moon, moderately than ready till a day or two after.
  • Deliver a flashlight or headlamp. For apparent causes there are not any avenue lamps or lighting across the Higher Overlook. However watch out to not shine the road in anybody’s face or towards any cameras.
  • Deliver a chair, snacks, perhaps a blanket, and get snug.
  • For one of the best expertise e-book a few nights at DuPont Lodge within the park. It’s only a 0.5-mile hike from the lodge to the customer middle parking zone alongside the Cumberland Falls Path.

Images Suggestions for Capturing the Moonbow

A mirrorless or bridge digicam or a smartphone with the flexibility to manually management the settings is one of the best form of digicam for capturing images of the moonbow. However though smartphone cameras have come a good distance over simply the previous few years, most smartphone nonetheless can not seize an awesome picture of the nighttime occasion.

Listed below are some recommendations on organising a digicam or smartphone to seize images of the moonbow:

Digital Digicam

  • Set the digicam on a sturdy tripod
  • Use a distant shutter launch or smartphone app to set off the digicam
  • Set the ISO to 800-1600
  • Set the aperture to f/5.6, f/4, or f/2.8
  • Begin with an publicity of 30 seconds. If the picture is simply too darkish or shiny, modify the publicity time – however don’t change the opposite settings

Smartphone Digicam

  • Flip off the digicam flash
  • Connect the smartphone to a sturdy tripod
  • Use an app like Digicam+
  • If attainable, set the app to Shutter Precedence mode
  • Lock the main focus within the digicam app
  • Begin with the longest publicity attainable for the smartphone
  • Set a selfie timer to seize the images

Have You Seen the Cumberland Falls Moonbow?

Should you’ve seen this positively extraordinary pure occasion depart me a remark beneath and inform me all about it! Seeing the Cumberland Falls Moonbow was probably the most rewarding experiences all 12 months and that picture has been one in every of my favorites ever since.

The place to Keep

The plain selection can be to remain on the state park whereas viewing the Moonbow, however in order for you a extra snug lodge you’ll need to journey again to Corbin, Kentucky. Will probably be a straightforward drive, however it’ll even be late.

Funds

High quality Suites is a reasonably snug budget-friendly lodge positioned alongside I-75. The lodge options an outside swimming pool and complimentary breakfast. Select from rooms with two queen beds or a single king mattress.

Crimson Roof Inn & Suites is a superb selection for place to remain. Situated alongside I-75, the lodge options inside entry rooms and an outside swimming pool. Rooms characteristic renovated fake hardwood flooring and cozy furnishings.

Reasonable

Fairfield Inn can be an awesome place to remain in Corbin. An indoor swimming pool and sizzling buffet breakfast will make the keep nice. Select from rooms with one or two beds, or a room with a sleeper couch.

The Cumberland Falls State Resort Park Lodge encompasses a dozen varieties of rooms starting from a single mattress to a two-bedroom suite in a cottage. The rooms characteristic snug furnishings, free on-site parking, and a spread of facilities.

Tenting

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park contains two campgrounds with a complete of fifty campsites. 21 campsites have electrical hookups whereas water is obtainable for all of the websites. The 2 campgrounds are positioned alongside the river with spectacular views.

Corbin/Laurel Lake KOA can be an awesome place to spend a number of nights. The property options massive RV websites, tent websites, and tiny dwelling leases. You’ll benefit from the nights with a climbing path to the lake and outside swimming pool.

Incessantly Requested Questions

What causes moonbows?

Moonbows are created when moonlight from a full moon is mirrored in water droplets above a waterfall.

Are moonbows uncommon?

Sure and no. Moonbows can occur each month when there’s a full moon. Nonetheless, to see a moonbow you want a cloudless evening and plenty of water droplets within the air.

The place are you able to discover a moonbow?

Moonbows can seem anyplace a robust waterfall has clear sky overhead. A number of the hottest locations for a moonbow in the USA is Niagara Falls, Yosemite Falls, and Cumberland Falls. Victoria Falls in Africa is likely one of the greatest locations to see a moonbow on this planet.

What does a moonbow appear like?

A moonbow appears to be like like a faint rainbow with the total spectrum of coloration mirrored in water droplets.

What time are you able to see a moonbow?

You possibly can see moonbows two days earlier than and after a full moon every month. Nonetheless, the spring months are one of the best time of 12 months to see the moonbow.

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