Rainbow

[watervole]

This evening, I saw one of the most beautiful rainbows that I have ever seen in my life.

A full double bow, and if you blinked quickly, there was the ghost of a third bow inside the main one.

Not only that, but the main bow had something I'd never seen before.  At the top (but not the sides) the inner colours were repeating.  There were three mauve bands, almost like ripples in the sand with a darker band inbetween them.

Does anyone know what could cause this?

Comments

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

this article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow in Wikipedia describes and explains just the phenomenon you describe.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[dougs.livejournal.com]

Seeing the mnemonics for the colours listed in the article cited, I'm reminded of the one we used at school -- "verrucas itch badly, get your ointment ready".

[watervole.livejournal.com]

LOL! That's a new one on me. It's also hard to think of the colours in the opposite order to what I'm used to.

[gaspodia.livejournal.com]

Ah, I clearly went to a different kind of school - we were taught "Virgins in bed get your organ red" by our science teacher in secondary school and "Richard of York gave battle in vain" at primary school. Not sure if my education improved or declined as I got older :)

[merrymaia.livejournal.com]

It sounds so beautiful. Thank you so much for telling us about it!