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Rainbows

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What is a Rainbow?

Every one of us loves the rainbow that forms while or after the rain. A Rainbow can be described as a natural phenomenon that creates a magical effect on the environment. In addition, the rainbow colours are soothing, and each colour has its meaning.

 

Rainbow refers to a kind of arc visible in the sky, caused by the refraction and dispersion of the Sun's light by the rain. Also, it can form by water droplets present in the atmosphere.

 

Rainbows can be full circles. However, the observer usually sees only an arc formed by illuminated droplets over the ground and on a line centralized from the Sun to the observer's eyes.

 

The arc depicts red on the outer part and violet on the inner side in a primary rainbow. This rainbow type is purely caused by light being refracted when entering a droplet of water and reflecting inside on the droplet's back, and again refracted when leaving it.

 

Considering the double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc and has the order of its reversed colours, consisting of red on the inner side of the arc. This happens by the light being reflected twice on the droplet's inside before leaving it.

 

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Rainbow Colors

The colour of the rainbow is a well-known fact for everyone. Every rainbow that shines in the sky is comprised of seven colours. Besides, these colours involve Violet, Indigo, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, and Red. Very commonly, people call them a VIBGYOR, as a short form of these colours. These are the VIBGYOR colours or simply called VIBGYOR meaning.

 

The Seven Colors of Rainbow

The seven colours of the rainbow or VIBJYOR meaning or VIBGYOR full form can be given below.

  • Red

Red is the rainbow's first colour. Moreover, this colour has the longest wavelength. Also, according to Christianity, this arc resembles Archangel Uriel that represents energy and wisdom.

 

Additionally, the red arc relates to the base of Hinduism and Buddhism or Muladhara Chakra that is the first chakra, connecting the human being to the physical plane.

  • Orange

Orange is the second colour of the rainbow arc. Furthermore, this orange colour is the combination of the colour before and after it (respectively, Red and Yellow). On the other side, in a rainbow, orange represents creativity and the ability to enjoy oneself as well.

 

As most noteworthy, it represents Swadhisthana in the chakra system, which is energy-related with creativity, fertility, and sexuality.

  • Yellow

This is the third colour of the rainbow arc. Moreover, this arc relates to archangel Jophiel, corresponding to the brilliance of wisdom and thoughts. Furthermore, in the rainbow, the yellow colour represents the brilliance of the SunSun.

 

In the chakra system, moreover, it represents the Manipura Chakra that is the seat of man's ego and personal power, similar to how the SunSun feeds the earth.

  • Green

As the fourth colour of the rainbow, green relates to the Archangel Raphael, which corresponds to healing. Additionally, in the rainbow, green represents love, health, and wealth. The chakra system, too, corresponds to Anahata, the heart chakra that can give and receive love.

  • Blue

Blue is the fifth colour of the arc of the rainbow. In addition, the blue colour is associated with Archangel Michael, who is the leader of all Archangels and represents spirituality also.

 

Similarly, within the rainbow, blue signifies the spirit world and connection with water.

 

Also, in the chakra system, it denotes Vishudda, the ability to communicate with purity and throat chakra.

  • Indigo

As the sixth colour of the rainbow arc, in addition, it represents the bridge between the conscious and subconscious worlds within the rainbow. Also, it is Ajna Chakra in the chakra system represented by the third eye and the capability to be able to see the unseen on the spiritual level.

  • Violet

Violet is the last and the seventh colour of the rainbow. In addition, it associates with Archangel Zadkeil, who signifies mercy. Also, within the rainbow, the violet colour is the mixture of blue and red, and it corresponds to divine inspiration and imagination.

 

Moreover, it represents the Sahasrara Chakra in the chakra system, which coincides with the point where human consciousness connects with the divine and spiritual consciousness.

 

Rainbows on Titan

It's been suggested that the rainbows might exist on Saturn'sSaturn's Moon Titan because it has humid clouds and wet surfaces. The radius of a Titan rainbow would be about 49° instead of 42° because instead of water, the fluid in that cold environment is methane. Although visible rainbows may be rare because of the Titan'sTitan's hazy skies, infrared rainbows may be very common, but a spectator would need infrared night vision goggles to observe them. In addition to this, there are also other rainbows such as rainbows under the moonlight, high order rainbows, fogbows, and more.

 

When a white light ray passes through the prism in the laboratory, then it splits into its seven component colours.


A rainbow is generally a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light.


Rainbows appear in the sky after the rain shower. Dispersion of light by the water droplets results in a spectrum of light by water droplets results in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky.  It takes the formation of multicoloured circular arcs in the sky. 


Rainbows caused by the sunlight always appear in the section of the sky which is directly opposite to the sun. A raindrop in the sky behaves like a prism.


The basic phenomenon is that light is dispersing into its seven components colour.


Rainbows are the most magical phenomenon which happens in nature. It seems fascinating to humans for a long time. Here are the most interesting facts about the rainbow :


You can never get to the end of the rainbow. If you are a guy who loves nature travelling and wants to see the other end of the rainbow, then it is impossible for you. It is because a rainbow is only the formation of images in the sky and if the orientation changes, you would be unable to see it.

FAQs on Rainbows

1. Explain the terms Reflected and Reflection Rainbow?

When a rainbow appears above the body of water, two complementary mirror bows can be seen above and below the horizon, originating from different light paths. And their names are a little different.


Reflected Rainbow can appear in the water surface down to the horizon. First, the sunlight is deflected by the raindrops, and after that, it reflects off the body of water before reaching the spectator. The reflected rainbow is at least partially frequently visible, even in small puddles.


A Reflection Rainbow can be formed where the sunlight reflects off a water body before reaching the raindrops if it is large, quiet over its entire surface, and close to the rain curtain. The reflection rainbow appears above the horizon level. It intersects the regular rainbow on the horizon, and its arc reaches higher in the sky, with the help of its centre as high above the horizon as the centre of the regular rainbow is below it. A reflection rainbow is rarely visible because of the combination of requirements.

2. Explain the Rainbows under the Moonlight?

Similar to most atmospheric optical phenomena, rainbows can be caused by light not only from the SunSun but also from the Moon. In the case of the latter, the rainbow is called a lunar moonbow or rainbow. These are much rarer and dimmer than solar rainbows, requiring the Moon to be near-full for them to be seen. Moonbows are often perceived as white for the same reason and may be thought of as monochrome. However, the full spectrum is present, but the human eye usually is not sensitive enough to see the colours. Sometimes the long exposure photographs will show the colour in this type of rainbow.

3. How does the position of Ray change when it comes from one medium to another?

Whenever light travels from a rarer to a denser medium, then it bends at an angle towards the normal line and similarly when light travels from a denser to a rarer medium it goes away from the normal at some angle. This is because the refractive index of the denser medium is higher than that of the rarer medium.

4. What is the phenomenon of Total Internal Reflection?

Whenever the light travels from one medium to another medium at the angle of 90° then it does not bend at any angle and goes straight. 


If a ray emerges from the denser medium and goes in the rarer medium then it will go away from the normal line and towards the surface. The limit of the angle at which the emerging line can be bent away from the normal line is called the critical angle. If we increase the angle of incidence more than the critical angle then the ray of light will reflect into the denser medium. This phenomenon is called TIR or total internal Reflection.

5. How are the Rainbows formed?

Whenever a ray of light strikes with the water droplet, some of the part of this light reflects while some part of it refracts into the droplet. When it strikes with the other surface of the droplet, again some of its parts reflects while some of its parts are internally reflected into the medium. This internally reflected ray of light emerges from the surface of water and dispersion of light takes place.