A joy of nature that none can deny, the rainbows. Rainbows are one of the most joyful moments for all age groups but especially kids. The rainbows are so much beautiful that they are included right from the nursery textbooks. In fact, I personally had no clue that there were many types of rainbows other than the primary rainbow. Some of the rainbows are so much incredible that they are almost impossible to spot at the right moment. If you ever spot them, you would be the luckiest person. Finally, we have gathered the 10 most beautiful types of rainbows that can make your heart touch skies.
10. Full Circle Rainbow
Full circle rainbow may seem strange for most of us as we all have got used to just seeing the semi-circle rainbows. Technically speaking which I was not aware too, is that all the rainbows are full circle in shape. However, we get to see just half the portion of it as we view almost all the rainbows in our lifetime from the ground.
Additionally, the full circle rainbows require the views to be at a certain height with perfect refracting angles. This can cause the views from a higher standpoint to view complete circle rainbows as there are no obstructions from the landscapes. The next time if you are traveling by plane or on a high building, don’t miss the mind-boggling science effects.
9. Double Rainbow
Double rainbows are one of the fantastic rainbows to enjoy. I have personally seen them too and they are fabulous. The double rainbow is a combination of a primary and a secondary rainbow. Additionally, it is fascinating to note that the secondary rainbow happens to be a mirror image of the primary one.
This phenomenon happens due to short wavelength dispersion with respect to sunlight. Further, the dispersion of sunlight passing the droplets could happen twice off the back. Such bounce back double time can cause a double rainbow.
8. White Rainbow
White rainbow is sometimes recognized as “fog bow or white rainbow”. Just imagine the beauty of bow in the fog instead of viewing them during rain. It would be an unimaginable sight. The phenomenon of fog bow happens due to minute water droplets in fog. Additionally, this happens when water droplets are smaller than 0.05 millimeters.
Further, the color combination is not much strong as the water droplets are too small to produce the contrast. In case if the angular size of reflected light is stronger than usual, then there are high chances of getting successive bows. Finally, you may even spot them while on an airplane or on ships.
7. Reflection Rainbow
Reflection rainbow by name happens due to reflection on the water surface below or above the horizon. Additionally, this phenomenon is known to happen due to the sunlight passing through different light paths. Further, the two terms below and above the horizon are considered as “reflected rainbow” and “reflection rainbow” respectively.
In fact, there are combinations, factors, and parameters that required together for the reflection rainbow. Due to this, the reflection rainbow becomes a rare one yet one of the most beautiful rainbows.
6. Lunar Rainbow
Lunar rainbow is considered one of the most surprising and beautiful rainbows in the world. Some of them even call the lunar rainbows as “rainbows under the moonlight”. Additionally, by the name, the optical phenomenon is known to happen even at night under the moonlight. Further, humans could barely see them with naked eyes through the spectrums that are often usual. Furthermore, they are known to be visible under the exposures of photographs.
You may also like: “10 Amazing Facts About Human Evolution“
5. Supernumerary Rainbow
A supernumerary rainbow is a lovely band of colors that are faintly colored bands. Also known as “stacker rainbow”, the supernumerary rainbow consists of a fainting pattern of color instead of a normal color pattern of a rainbow. Additionally, such color pattern tends to be obvious when the water droplets in the clouds are at 1 mm diameter or lesser. Further, the successive fainting of colors down the main band can simply mesmerize you at first sight. Furthermore, the optical phenomenon and the theory of light waves for supernumerary rainbow was provided by Thomas Young in 1804.
4. Twin Rainbow
There are people who will see even a double or a triple rainbow. But the twin rainbow is something very rare to come across. Additionally, many may mistake the double rainbows as twin rainbows. The twin rainbows are those that start at a single point but branch out and split into two rainbows. However, being said that they branch out, it has been accounted for a hard task for scientists to figure out the actual cause behind such a phenomenon.
Additionally, scientists assume that the effect could be due to flattened water droplets at the rainbow start point. They even put across a theory that the larger droplets can flatten more than the smaller ones. Finally, this could be the prime reason for the formation of twin rainbows.
3. Circumzenithal Arc Rainbow
Circumzenithal arc rainbow is a fantastic rainbow, which is also recognized as an “upside-down rainbow”. Nature is simply a mystery and cannot be judged in any angle. In fact, this rainbow has simply proved the way it comes up out on skies. Additionally, the optical phenomenon happens when the refraction of sunlight light passes through the ice crystals in the cloud. Further, such a phenomenon is known to occur only when the air turbulence is measured at minimal. Also, the circumzenithal arc rainbow happens to be only one of the lists that produce a so-called “smile in the sky”.
2. Monochrome Rainbow
Ever imagined a rainbow that can cover up completely red in color. That would be phenomenal personally speaking. The monochrome rainbow does the wonder for our sight. Also recognized as “red rainbow”, the monochrome rainbow is a metrological phenomenon, which is considered rare to be sighted.
Additionally, this rare beauty happens when the sun is close to sunset. Technically speaking, the low angle of the sun with respect to the atmosphere causes a short diffract of the rest of the color apart from red. Finally, this effect can produce a highly dramatic effect.
1. Cloud Rainbow
A rainbow perfectly personified in terms of beauty, “Cloud rainbow”. Also recognized as “Cloud iridescence” is an incredibly colorful phenomenon that falls on the clouds. Personally speaking, I have never come across such a phenomenon in my life. Those of you who have seen them are lucky! Additionally, the color mix-up can resemble that of mother-of-pearl with highly vivid contrast.
Such a phenomenon is known to happen due to small water droplets and tiny ice crystals in the clouds. These droplets and ice crystals are known to diffract the light passing through them. Finally, if you ever come across them, you will notice that the cloud rainbow is broader than the usual ones that we regularly see.