Strange rainbow tonight over the Broads

SteveA · 09-05-2012, 07:33 PM

I was out looking to take a few sunset pictures and look what I found.. no rain, ( at least where I was in Gilford).

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Name: rainless_rainbow_9-5-12_1.jpg
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Resident 2B · 09-05-2012, 07:44 PM

Great shot!

Looks like a virga-bow. The rain is evaporating before it reaches the ground or the water.

R2B

Lakegeezer · 09-05-2012, 07:54 PM

For a while, there was a double rainbow, with the second appearing as a reflection of the first. The colors were in reverse order. You can sort of see it in the second picture. The first picture is at the other end of the rainbow, coming down near the Castle in the Clouds.

upthesaukee · 09-05-2012, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakegeezer

For a while, there was a double rainbow, with the second appearing as a reflection of the first. The colors were in reverse order.

Seems I read or heard on TV that this is normal with a double rainbow. The colors reverse in the second one and I can't remember why.

SteveA · 09-05-2012, 08:17 PM

LG.. to the naked eye I could barely see the second rainbow, very faintly.. you can almost see it forming on these two pictures. I tried to "find" them with photoshop tools.. but still not very clear in the pictures.

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This was taken from a different angle on Long Beach at LSP. The others were from Big Pier.

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upthesaukee · 09-05-2012, 08:17 PM

Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia...a link to the whole article follows.

Secondary rainbows are caused by a double reflection of sunlight inside the raindrops, and appear at an angle of 50–53°. As a result of the second reflection, the colours of a secondary rainbow are inverted compared to the primary bow, with blue on the outside and red on the inside. The secondary rainbow is fainter than the primary because more light escapes from two reflections compared to one and because the rainbow itself is spread over a greater area of the sky. The dark area of unlit sky lying between the primary and secondary bows is called Alexander's band, after Alexander of Aphrodisias who first described it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_rainbow#Variations

webmaster · 09-05-2012, 08:34 PM

The WeirsCAM caught this unusual rainbow at 6:11 tonight:

DickR · 09-07-2012, 10:49 AM

I saw that rainbow, but from Long Island. I was stunned by the color and brilliance of the show. It was so bright I almost called the fire department to go put it out.

09-05-2012, 07:33 PM	#1
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	Strange rainbow tonight over the Broads I was out looking to take a few sunset pictures and look what I found.. no rain, ( at least where I was in Gilford). __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown

09-05-2012, 07:54 PM	#3
Lakegeezer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 1,657 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 342 Thanked 618 Times in 278 Posts	For a while, there was a double rainbow, with the second appearing as a reflection of the first. The colors were in reverse order. You can sort of see it in the second picture. The first picture is at the other end of the rainbow, coming down near the Castle in the Clouds. Attached Images __________________ -lg Last edited by Lakegeezer; 09-05-2012 at 09:23 PM. Reason: Added pictures

09-05-2012, 08:17 PM	#5
SteveA Deceased Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gilford, NH Posts: 2,311 Thanks: 1,070 Thanked 2,054 Times in 497 Posts	Couple more pictures.. LG.. to the naked eye I could barely see the second rainbow, very faintly.. you can almost see it forming on these two pictures. I tried to "find" them with photoshop tools.. but still not very clear in the pictures. This was taken from a different angle on Long Beach at LSP. The others were from Big Pier. __________________ "Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, if he gets angry he'll be a mile away and barefoot!" unknown Last edited by SteveA; 09-06-2012 at 04:48 PM.

09-05-2012, 08:17 PM	#6
upthesaukee Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Alton Bay Posts: 5,547 Blog Entries: 2 Thanks: 2,398 Thanked 1,918 Times in 1,061 Posts	Here is one thing from Wikipedia Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia...a link to the whole article follows. Secondary rainbows are caused by a double reflection of sunlight inside the raindrops, and appear at an angle of 50–53°. As a result of the second reflection, the colours of a secondary rainbow are inverted compared to the primary bow, with blue on the outside and red on the inside. The secondary rainbow is fainter than the primary because more light escapes from two reflections compared to one and because the rainbow itself is spread over a greater area of the sky. The dark area of unlit sky lying between the primary and secondary bows is called Alexander's band, after Alexander of Aphrodisias who first described it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_rainbow#Variations __________________ I Live Here... I am always UPTHESAUKEE !!!!

09-05-2012, 08:34 PM	#7
webmaster Moderator Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 2,434 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 440 Thanked 3,726 Times in 824 Posts	The WeirsCAM caught this unusual rainbow at 6:11 tonight: Attached Images

The Following User Says Thank You to SteveA For This Useful Post:
jetlag100 (09-06-2012)

09-05-2012, 07:44 PM	#2
Resident 2B Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: North Shore, MA Posts: 1,352 Thanks: 987 Thanked 310 Times in 161 Posts	Great shot! Looks like a virga-bow. The rain is evaporating before it reaches the ground or the water. R2B

The Following User Says Thank You to Resident 2B For This Useful Post:
SteveA (09-05-2012)

The Following User Says Thank You to upthesaukee For This Useful Post:
SteveA (09-06-2012)

The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to webmaster For This Useful Post:
jetlag100 (09-06-2012), Just Sold (09-06-2012), Resident 2B (09-05-2012), SteveA (09-05-2012), upthesaukee (09-06-2012)

09-07-2012, 10:49 AM	#8
DickR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Moultonborough Posts: 735 Thanks: 4 Thanked 254 Times in 166 Posts	I saw that rainbow, but from Long Island. I was stunned by the color and brilliance of the show. It was so bright I almost called the fire department to go put it out.