Nature Double Rainbow

Double Rainbow · 08:56 AM

Name: Double Rainbow.jpg
Views: 21341
Size: 54.7 KB

I wish I could've gotten a better picture, but it was still really cool and I haven't seen one that I can think of in real life.

Mr Hyde · 09-14-2010, 09:06 AM

I dont think I have ever seen a full rainbow let alone a double one. I have only been fortunate enough to see some partials. It must have been pretty exciting to see this in person

**WPRESTO** · 09-14-2010, 07:42 PM

Pretty bows. For those who don't know or didn't notice, the color sequence in the weaker, secondary rainbow are always in reverse sequence, i.e., the secondary is a mirror image of the brighter primary. GOOGLE for an explanation of the physics involved.

Yaro · 09-15-2010, 04:40 AM

You Tube

Had to be posted.

bdery · 09-15-2010, 04:51 AM

The physics involved are actually pretty simple. Rainbows form when light reflects once in a water droplet then exits it. The droplet acts as a prism (think "Dark side of the Moon") and distributes the colours.

A double rainbow occurs when there is a DOUBLE reflection inside the droplets. The same process occurs, but because of the double reflection, the order of the colours is reversed.

Actually, there is always a second raibow, but most of the time it's extremely hard to see because it's much less bright (sometimes also, the angle from the Sun relative to the viewer makes it impossible to see from specific viewpoints).

What's cool is going THROUGH a rainbow. I did that once on a lake. It seems the rainbow is moving away from you, until at one point it dissolves when you get "past" it.

There's no pot of gold at the bottom of rainbows, sadly.

JoshRead
	View full profile
	Contact via private message
	Find other posts by JoshRead
	Find threads started by JoshRead
	Find threads in which JoshRead has posted

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Landscape Somewhere over the Rainbow	Ansbert	Post Your Photos!	5	08-12-2010 10:36 PM
Nature Double rainbow over my car :)	deadwolfbones	Post Your Photos!	12	08-09-2010 05:12 PM
Landscape Double rainbow over a church	coachteeter	Post Your Photos!	7	04-20-2010 11:25 PM
Nature Double Rainbow	eccs19	Photo Critique	4	12-24-2009 07:27 PM
Rainbow	fishy	Photo Critique	2	08-06-2008 08:03 PM

09-14-2010, 09:06 AM	#2
Mr Hyde Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: NJ, USA Posts: 760	I dont think I have ever seen a full rainbow let alone a double one. I have only been fortunate enough to see some partials. It must have been pretty exciting to see this in person

09-14-2010, 07:42 PM	#3
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,087	Pretty bows. For those who don't know or didn't notice, the color sequence in the weaker, secondary rainbow are always in reverse sequence, i.e., the secondary is a mirror image of the brighter primary. GOOGLE for an explanation of the physics involved.

09-15-2010, 04:51 AM	#5
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,356	The physics involved are actually pretty simple. Rainbows form when light reflects once in a water droplet then exits it. The droplet acts as a prism (think "Dark side of the Moon") and distributes the colours. A double rainbow occurs when there is a DOUBLE reflection inside the droplets. The same process occurs, but because of the double reflection, the order of the colours is reversed. Actually, there is always a second raibow, but most of the time it's extremely hard to see because it's much less bright (sometimes also, the angle from the Sun relative to the viewer makes it impossible to see from specific viewpoints). What's cool is going THROUGH a rainbow. I did that once on a lake. It seems the rainbow is moving away from you, until at one point it dissolves when you get "past" it. There's no pot of gold at the bottom of rainbows, sadly.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search