Rainbows

Rainbows are one of nature's most beautiful sights. They appear when sunlight shines through raindrops in the air. The raindrops act like tiny prisms and split the white sunlight into all its colors. You see red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet arching across the sky.

How Rainbows Form

When sunlight enters a raindrop, it bends and slows down. Inside the raindrop, the light bounces off the back like a mirror. As the light leaves the raindrop, it bends again and separates into different colors. Each color bends at a slightly different angle, which is why you see them spread out.

Double Rainbows

Sometimes you can see two rainbows at once! The second rainbow is fainter and appears above the first. Its colors are in reverse order. Double rainbows happen when light bounces twice inside the raindrops instead of once. The area between the two rainbows is darker. It is called Alexander's band.

Fun Facts

• A rainbow is actually a full circle, but you usually only see half because the ground blocks the bottom half.
• Every person sees their own personal rainbow because it depends on the angle between the Sun, the raindrops, and your eyes.
• You can make a rainbow with a garden hose on a sunny day by spraying a fine mist of water.

Did You Know?

From an airplane, you can sometimes see a full-circle rainbow! Since there is no ground blocking the bottom, the rainbow forms a complete ring. Pilots and skydivers are the lucky few who get to see this amazing sight.