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Document Title: Rainbow (DI00384), Photo by Bob Henson
Description: This rainbow appears unusually low in the sky because it has formed early in the afternoon, rather than toward sunset. For a rainbow to form, water droplets must be present in the air in front of an observer and the sun must be shining from behind the observer. Rainbows result from the refraction and reflection of sunlight by these water droplets. As sunlight enters a droplet, it is refracted (it slows and bends), with violet light bending the most and red light the least. Much of the light passes on through the drop, but some strikes the back of the drop at such an angle that it is reflected back and is again refracted as it leaves the drop. Because each light ray bends differently from the rest, each ray emerges at a slightly different angle, creating a spectrum of colors from violet to red. It takes myriads of droplets (each refracting and reflecting light back to our eyes at slightly different angles) to produce the brilliant colors of a rainbow.
Creditline: copyright University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, Photo by Bob Henson
Keywords: DI00384,phenomena,rainbow,Bob Henson