When looking out of the window of a plane, your sometimes lucky enough to see the planes shadow on the clouds with a perfect rainbow wrap around the outline ... Wheres the rainbow come from
2006-08-19 06:44:43 · 11 answers · asked by leerobo 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
It comes from the sunlight behind you shining through moisture (i.e., clouds, rain, condensation as the plane travels through the sky, etc.) Since it is not interrupted by the ground, it is round and not an arc
2006-08-19 13:33:57 · answer #1 · answered by idiot detector 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Visible light is made up of different wavelengths, red (longest) to green then blue (shortest). The water droplets refract the visible light, but because of the different wavelengths some parts of the light are refracted different more than others. Thus we see a rainbow, as pointed out all rainbow would be round, but the ground gets in the way. So no chance in find a pot of gold at the end of one.
This refraction we see every day. Have ever ask yourself my the sky is blue? Because the blue part of the light is refracted more than the red and green parts.
2006-08-19 14:04:30 · answer #2 · answered by Mark L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure what the question is. But when you see a "rainbow" around the shadow of a plane you a looking at a glory, which is not a rainbow. It has the coloours of a rainbow, but is caused by something called diffraction by water drops.
What is commonly known as a rainbow is different and seen at about 42 degrees around the anit solar point and is different to a glory.
2006-08-20 22:06:25 · answer #3 · answered by Dome Slug 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They come from the same place that rainbows come from on the ground -- heavy moisture in the air refracting sunlight. You can create your own rainbow on a sunny day with a garden hose and a fine enough mist sprayed into the air at just the right angle.
2006-08-20 02:19:39 · answer #4 · answered by Moose 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sunrays pass through the moisture of the clouds.According to the spectrum of white colour, the white sunrays split into seven colours. These 7 colours appear as the rainbow.
2006-08-19 13:54:38 · answer #5 · answered by majeti k 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sun and water droplets that refract light. Try spraying a garden hose in a fine mist with the sun over your shoulder--same thing happens.
2006-08-19 13:51:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All rainbows would be perfect spheres, except the ground gets in the way.
2006-08-19 13:50:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the rainbow is formed due to the refraction of light by rain drops.
2006-08-20 03:03:47 · answer #8 · answered by prat 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You get it it a boat at sea as well.
It's the natural reflectivity of the leaves etc.(from an aeroplame) reflecting light directly back to you.
2006-08-19 14:07:58 · answer #9 · answered by ALAN Q 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its got something to do with the refraction of light
2006-08-19 17:17:02 · answer #10 · answered by sweetlikehoney_73 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋