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Here's a mediocre photo I took near Columbus, GA, October 27, 2010 of a strangely flattened rainbow. I never even considered that a rainbow could be any other arch/diameter than what is "normal." Trust me, they can. Please explain. Thanks. Dodd Clifton

Dodd wrote:Here's a mediocre photo I took near Columbus, GA, October 27, 2010 of a strangely flattened rainbow. I never even considered that a rainbow could be any other arch/diameter than what is "normal." Trust me, they can. Please explain. Thanks. Dodd Clifton

The center of a rainbow is always at the anti-solar point (except when the sun is reflected off of lakes).

The best rainbows, IMO, are with a setting sun such that the anti-solar center of the rainbow is just below the horizon.

You took this photo near the middle of the day when the anti-solar point was well below the horizon but with the top of the rainbow still visible.

As with a low moon there was also the optical illusion that the rainbow was especially wide thereby giving the flattening effect.

Thanks, Art. I will definitely be Googling "anti-solar point" and "rainbows" in an effort to better understand your answer, which I certainly get the gist of. The "low moon" analogy certainly makes sense. Take care. D

Dodd,
Here are some interesting reflected sunlight rainbows which also discuss the anti solar point

Hello Dodd,

There is your picture. You say it is a "mediocre photo", but i don't feel the same way.
I changed a little the contrasts, i made colors brighter, and I suppressed the bottom, a few adds as well as cars on the roads, for fun.

Actually, it is a deeply interesting one because thanks to it, i have learned from Neufer:

The center of a rainbow is always at the anti-solar point (except when the sun is reflected off of lakes).

Does anyone know why a rainbow can form above a rainbow brighter?

Have a very nice day!

Céline

Hello

Does anyone know how a double rainbow can form: I mean, when a weak rainbow appears above a brighter one?

This is the rainbow i speak about

Céline Richard wrote:Does anyone know how a double rainbow can form: I mean, when a weak rainbow appears above a brighter one?

Rainbows.

Thank you, it is very beautiful.
So a rainbow can reflect on the sea, water, or wet sand.
Actually, there is just a forest here, but i know the ground is very wet. A long time ago, there were swamps. Houses shouldn't have been built, but it was done. Some houses's foundations in the surroundings of this picture have problems, because the ground looks like a sponge, which changes its volume from spring to winter. People try to have grass, instead of moss, but it is too much wet. Sometimes, they can find out one or more frogs, which come from little ponds covered with duckweeds.
So it is wet indeed... Paradoxically, a lake inside the forest has drained. Now you can walk in the bottom of the lake, between bulrushes.
Have a very nice day!
Céline

I attach an explanation from the website given by Chris:

Reflection from smooth water sends parallel shafts of sunlight upwards. To falling raindrops this appears like a second sun shining upwards from below the horizon. The opposite point in the sky from the reflected sun is the anthelic point - the same distance above the horizon as the antisolar point is below it. Drops on the surface of a rainbow cone with an axis pointing to the anthelic point form a reflection rainbow.

The water mirror does not have to be behind the observer but when it is in front only the lower parts of the reflection bow will be seen

The schema is better: http://www.atoptics.co.uk/rainbows/reflform.htm

Céline

Céline Richard wrote:So a rainbow can reflect on the sea, water, or wet sand...

I think you might be taking the wrong explanation from the discussion of rainbows. A double rainbow is not caused by a reflected light source. Basically, all rainbows are double, because there are two paths light takes through water drops. If you don't see the second rainbow, it is merely because there isn't enough light, or some other conditions act to obscure it.

I agree with Chris; Céline, your picture shows a primary and secondary rainbow. The second bow is concentric with the first and its colors are reversed. The spacing between the two bows looks right for the dimmer one being a secondary ("some 9º outside the primary bow").

Chris Peterson wrote:Basically, all rainbows are double, because there are two paths light takes through water drops.

Thank you for your explanation... Why?
Céline

owlice wrote:I agree with Chris; Céline, your picture shows a primary and secondary rainbow. The second bow is concentric with the first and its colors are reversed. The spacing between the two bows looks right for the dimmer one being a secondary ("some 9º outside the primary bow").

Thank you Owlice:)
Céline

I just would like to post two pictures from: http://www.yannarthusbertrand2.org/
Have a very nice day!!

Céline

Here is a good puzzle. This was taken in my driveway last summer. The ground is dry even though it is raining heavily. There is a rainbow visible within 20 metres of the point of view. This is a 3D image intended for crossed eye viewing. If you study it in 3D you will notice that even individual raindrops have been captured in 3D.

The question is how? The images were taken from the same camera at slightly different times. Note that I do have what I consider a very good working hypothesis.


Click image to see full size in order to detect the raindrops.

Evan wrote:Here is a good puzzle. This was taken in my driveway last summer. The ground is dry even though it is raining heavily. There is a rainbow visible within 20 metres of the point of view. This is a 3D image intended for crossed eye viewing. If you study it in 3D you will notice that even individual raindrops have been captured in 3D.
The question is how? The images were taken from the same camera at slightly different times. Note that I do have what I consider a very good working hypothesis.

Actually i don't know how to answer to your question, but i like your picture, the rainbow in the forest I have never seen one like that, inside the wood, without any fountain, nor cascada!!

Céline

Celine, I just saw your Photoshopped version of my Flattened Rainbow photo ... 9 years later! I’m flattened by your effort! Thanks. Dodd