Buzz
When we think of rainbows, many assume they’ve seen every possible version. We’re all familiar with the classic rainbow – and even the simplest one can be breathtaking. However, rainbows come in more than just a single color. There are rare types of rainbows that can be even more mesmerizing than the usual variety. Discover them here:
10. Main Rainbows
This is the most common rainbow we encounter. The primary rainbow appears as a single multi-colored arc typically after a rainstorm. It forms when refracted light reflects off a water droplet. The richness of the rainbow’s colors is influenced by the size of the water droplets.
9. Double Rainbows
If you’ve witnessed a primary rainbow, you’ve likely seen a secondary one as well. Known as double rainbows, these form behind the primary rainbow when light reflects twice within a water droplet. The secondary rainbow is about twice as wide as the primary, but it is much less intense, appearing with its colors reversed.
8. Alexander’s Dark Band
Alexander’s Band is not technically classified as a rainbow, but it is linked to both primary and secondary rainbows. It refers to the darker area of the sky between the primary and secondary rainbows. The light reflected once in the primary rainbow brightens the sky inside, while the light reflected twice in the secondary rainbow brightens the sky outside. To the human eye, the space between the two rainbows appears significantly darker.
7. Supernumerary Rainbows
Supernumerary rainbows, also called stacker rainbows, are a rare phenomenon. They consist of multiple faint rainbows on the inner side of the primary rainbow and, less commonly, on the outer side of the secondary. These rainbows are formed by similarly sized small raindrops and the interference of light that reflects once but follows a different path within the raindrop.
6. Red Rainbows
Red rainbows, also known as monochrome rainbows, typically appear after a rain shower during sunrise or sunset. The shorter wavelengths of light, like blue and green, are scattered by dust and air molecules. This scattering leaves behind the longer wavelengths of light, primarily red and yellow, which combine to create the stunning red rainbow.
5. Cloud Rainbows
Cloud rainbows occur when small water droplets in clouds and humid air scatter sunlight, unlike traditional rainbows that form from raindrops. These rainbows appear white because the water droplets are too tiny to reflect the full spectrum of colors. Cloud rainbows tend to be much broader than regular rainbows and are most often seen over water. However, they can also form over land if the fog is thin enough for sunlight to penetrate.
4. Twinned Rainbows
Twinned rainbows are a rare phenomenon, distinct from the more commonly seen double rainbow. They consist of two rainbow arcs originating from a single point and occur when both small and large water droplets fall together. The larger droplets are flattened by air resistance, while the smaller ones retain their shape due to surface tension. These droplets then form individual rainbows, which can merge to create the rare twinned rainbows.
3. Lunar Rainbows
Lunar rainbows, also known as moonbows, occur at night under the light of the moon. Because moonlight is much weaker than sunlight, lunar rainbows are incredibly rare. The ideal conditions for observing one are a full moon night during a rainstorm, with the sky being particularly dark. As a result, lunar rainbows tend to appear faint or white, since the lack of brightness prevents the activation of the color-detecting cone cells in our eyes.
2. Rainbow Wheels
Rainbow wheels form when dark clouds or heavy rain obscure the light reaching your eyes. This shadowed light prevents the rainbow's colors from being visible. The outcome is a wheel-like rainbow with large spokes emanating from a central point. If the clouds are moving quickly, the rainbow wheel may appear to spin.
1. Reflected and Reflection Rainbows
Reflected and reflection rainbows, though similar in name, are distinct phenomena that only occur over water. The more commonly observed of the two is the reflected rainbow, which forms when light is first refracted by water droplets, and then reflected off the water’s surface before our eyes can process the light.
A reflection rainbow forms when light first reflects off the water before being deflected by the water droplets. These rainbows are less common and harder to spot due to the specific conditions required for their formation.
