Double Rainbow and Supernumerary Bows

November 29, 2006

Double_rainbow copy

Provided and copyright by: Massimo Dal Zotto
Summary author: Massimo Dal Zotto

This glorious double rainbow was captured after the passage of a powerful thunderstorm near Novaledo, Italy, on August 27, 2006. Both the primary and secondarily bows were quite colorful. In addition, supernumerary bows were readily visible -- just to the inside of the primary bow (close-up on right frame). Unlike the primary and secondary bow, wave interference rather than geometrical optics accounts for their formation. When raindrops are uniform in size, supernumerary bows are more apt to be observed than when a large range of drop sizes occur.

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