I was over the moon with excitement when I witnessed this magnificent, colourful and radiant rainbow arch across the blue sky just above the ocean, a day before returning home from my holiday at the sea.
Two weeks ago my boys decided to take me to the ocean on holiday for my birthday. I have never seen a rainbow shining on 3 different days in less than two weeks, you are lucky if you experience a rainbow once a year, I guess it was my present from up above.
On our third day, we happened to see our first rainbow but it was way too high so I had to take two photos from both angles (the two photos beneath). The second rainbow we witnessed on the seventh day, we could only see the one end of it but it was still beautiful (last photo). I was lucky to catch a full rainbow (seen in the main photo) while looking out my window on the third floor on the tenth day of our holiday.
Rainbows are visible in the section of the sky directly opposite the sun when the dispersion of light takes place. We observe this multicoloured bow in the sky when white light of the sun reflects on the tiny water droplets in the air. Each droplet is like a tiny prism, dispersing and reflecting light. Refraction occurs while the white light enters the drop and travels inside to the other side and exit as a specific colour. A total internal reflection takes place inside the drop, the white light breaks into seven colours (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet) inside it. The angle of each colour is different as they enter the rain drop at different speeds. The colours you see in the rainbow is based on the angle between your eyes and the sun, each colour has a different angle between 40 and 42 degrees.
When the rainbow arching high
Looks from the zenith round the sky
Lit with exquisite tints seven
Caught from angels' wings in heaven,
Double, and higher than his World
The wrought rim of heaven's font,
Then may I upwards gaze and see the deepening intensity
Of the air-blended diadem . . .
Ending in sweet uncertainty 'twixt real hue and phantasy.
— Gerard Manley Hopkins, 'II Mystico', ll. 107-15, 121-2
Enjoy a fabulous week!!