The spectacle, in the capital of San Jose, occurred on the country’s Independence Day last Tuesday.

When this eerie, iridescent cloud formed over Costa Rica on Tuesday, people were awe-struck.

Many commented that it looked like an “end of times” cloud, that is, an apocalyptic portent in the skies.

It led some to describe the incredible phenomenon as being “like a sign of God”.

Joey Petit witnessed the whole thing and told that he and his family were at a playground for an Independence Day festival when the clouds began to shine in brilliant colors. “He immediately grabbed the camera and started taking video and photos”, Petit said.

Instagrammer Kevin Otway posted his pictures with the caption: “IlluOminous perturbations”, while Natalia Delgado added: “Definitely something I’ve never seen!” The iridescence can be seen when the sun is positioned behind the building storm clouds so that the refracted light can pass through the pileus and to your eyes.

“It was breathtaking. It’s like a sign of God.”

Eladio Solano, a meteorologist with Costa Rica’s National Meteorological Institute, had a much simpler explanation: a rare phenomenon called cloud iridescence. “