Rainbows are one of nature’s most beautiful optical phenomena, created when sunlight interacts with water droplets in the atmosphere. When sunlight passes through a raindrop, it bends (refracts), reflects off the inside surface of the drop, and then bends again as it leaves. This process separates the light into different wavelengths, creating the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. The angle of refraction and reflection is crucial typically around 42 degrees making rainbows visible only when the sun is behind you and rain is in front.
Interestingly, no two people see exactly the same rainbow. This is because each person views the light from a slightly different angle, meaning every eye sees a unique pattern of light. Double rainbows can occur when light reflects twice inside water droplets, creating a fainter, reversed secondary arc. Beyond their beauty, rainbows are also a reminder of the fascinating physics of light and water an elegant mix of science and art in the sky. Shutdown123