Rainbows are meteorological phenomena caused by light being reflected off water droplets. They appear as a circular, multicoloured arc. There are many types of rainbows, including the Primary, Full circle, and Moonbow. Learn more about them in this article. Rainbows can be seen in a variety of weather conditions and are very beautiful.
Primary rainbow
A primary rainbow is the rainbow created when sunlight enters a raindrop and reflects on the back surface of the drop. This light then exits the raindrop to form a rainbow. This phenomenon occurs when the light rays are at an angle between 231 degrees and 180 degrees. It is often so faint that humans cannot see it.
A secondary rainbow occurs outside a primary rainbow and has the same angular distribution, but has its blue and red rays reversed. This means that the red in the secondary rainbow is closer to the sun. This causes the bright inner edge of the primary rainbow to appear more bright. However, a dark band is visible between the primary and secondary rainbows.
Double rainbow
A double rainbow is created when light reflects twice on a single rain drop. The resulting reflections are usually a bit fainter than the main rainbow. This phenomenon is known as a “twinned rainbow” and is more rare than a regular rainbow. Both the arcs are beautiful and represent different aspects of the world.
The sequence for a double rainbow is VIBGYOR. There is a dark band between the two rainbows, known as the Alexander’s band. This band forms because the light was not scattered by the raindrops. Observers are able to see two rainbows in one moment, and they can also see a double rainbow if they look closely enough.
Full circle rainbow
When light hits water droplets, it forms a multicolored arc. Observers from ground level will not be able to see the lower half of the rainbow. The lower part of the rainbow only appears when the water is far enough below the horizon to absorb sufficient amounts of light. It is important to note that the sun’s position also plays an important role in the shape of the rainbow.
A full circle rainbow is a rare sight. It only happens on rare occasions, and the conditions have to be ideal for it to happen. Normally, a rainbow appears as an arc across the sky, with the bottom part blocked by the horizon.
Cloud rainbow
A Cloud rainbow is a phenomenon that occurs when a rainbow and cloud combine in the sky. Cloud rainbows are the result of the iridescence of ice crystals in the upper part of a cumulus cloud. The main cloud rises up through convection, which causes the ice crystals to be pushed up into a pileus cloud.
These clouds look like prisms in the sky and reflect the light, creating a brilliant color show. The phenomenon, referred to as a circumhorizontal arc by meteorologists, is most common during mid-latitudes and high altitudes. In Hamilton, Virginia, people sent photos to WUSA-TV, a CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. It was discovered that the cloud is caused by an atmospheric optic called cloud iridescence. The light rays from the sun’s rays are reflected by ice crystals in the cloud.
Monochromatic rainbow
A monochromatic rainbow is a rare meteorological phenomenon. This is a variation of the normal multicolored rainbow. A monochromatic rainbow can occur when the sky is clear and the sun is above the horizon. This rare meteorological phenomenon is a unique and beautiful sight. However, it is not easy to see and photograph.
Monochromatic rainbows occur when there is a sudden change in the sun’s angle and wavelength. This causes the shorter wavelengths to be scattered by air molecules, dust, and aerosols. The result is a streak of white that appears as a monochromatic rainbow.