I Just Saw a Supernumerary Rainbow.

Virgo10

<font color=darkorchid>Really, this year there's n
Joined
Jul 6, 2000
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Here's a photo I found online. The one I saw looked a lot like this but it was even fainter.

superrainbow.jpg


I thought I was seeing four rainbows. :confused3 What on earth did we ever do before we had the internet? :thumbsup2

CAUTION: SCIENTIFIC STUFF!!! :rotfl:

Occasionally, another rainbow phenomenon can be observed, consisting of several faint rainbows on the inner side of the primary rainbow, and very rarely also outside the secondary rainbow. They are slightly detached and have pastel colour bands that do not fit the usual pattern. They are known as supernumerary rainbows, and it is not possible to explain their existence using classical geometric optics.

The alternating faint rainbows are caused by interference between rays of light following slightly different paths with slightly varying lengths within the raindrops. Some rays are in phase, reinforcing each other through constructive interference, creating a bright band; others are out of phase by up to half a wavelength, cancelling each other out through destructive interference, and creating a gap. Given the different angles of refraction for rays of different colours, the patterns of interference are slightly different for rays of different colours, so each bright band is differentiated in colour, creating a miniature rainbow.

Supernumerary rainbows are clearest when raindrops are small and of similar size. The very existence of supernumerary rainbows was historically a first indication of the wave nature of light, and the first explanation was provided by Thomas Young in 1804.
 
Very cool!

I thought I was seeing four rainbows. :confused3 What on earth did we ever do before we had the internet? :thumbsup2

I have to tell you, we learn a lot from you and your pictures as well! In fact, several months ago, DW Lauri called me on the way home from work all excited. She said "I see a sundog!" Here I am thinking it's a breed of dog that I hadn't heard of and I asked her if it's owner was with it or was it running around loose. :rotfl: She told me I need to pay more attention to your threads ;)
 
Very cool!



I have to tell you, we learn a lot from you and your pictures as well! In fact, several months ago, DW Lauri called me on the way home from work all excited. She said "I see a sundog!" Here I am thinking it's a breed of dog that I hadn't heard of and I asked her if it's owner was with it or was it running around loose. :rotfl: She told me I need to pay more attention to your threads ;)

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:
 












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