Does anyone know the *true* shape of a rainbow?

Answer 1

archtryiel's answer is correct, it's always an arc of a perfect circle. The reason for it is that spherical water droplets is responsible for the refraction of sunlight into the colors of the rainbow, and the emergent beams of colors come out of the droplets at certain angles relative to the axis of sunlight as seen by the viewer. The center of the rainbow would be the shadow of your own head as cast by the sun, if you could see it. Most of the time, only half a circle or less of rainbow is visible, but if one looks out an airplane, it's possible to see the entire circle of rainbow.

Answer 2

East and West facing windows have the best sunlight for making rainbows during mornings and afternoons. Southern facing windows are excellent for rainbow activity during the winter months.

For best results, control the surrounding light in your room with curtains or blinds, to allow full-strength beams of direct sunlight to pass through the crystal prism. You will get rainbows, even against dark backgrounds.

Larger facets on the crystals make larger rainbows, and the bigger the room, the bigger the rainbows!




Rainbows & Science


The seven Visible Spectrum colors of a rainbow, in order of appearance:

Red - Orange - Yellow - Green - Blue - Indigo - Violet

Each individual wavelength of light in a rainbow has it’s own rate of vibration, which produces each distinct color.

The true shape of a rainbow is a complete circle, but we see only half of the circle that appears above the earth’s horizon.

Answer 3

a rainbow is a full circle, high up there in the sky.

we only see a semi-circle because the horizon is the boundary of our sight from where we are standing.

eventually, some factors affect the shape of it.

like clouds, the weather, low and high pressure sites.
that it may appear as a tiny arc, or a even just a line.

but a perfect rainbow, empowered strongly by the sun and illuminated by watervapor, is a full circle in shape.

Answer 4

originally, the shape of a rainbow is round. we can only tell that it is shaped semi circle because it is only our eyes can see through.

Answer 5

A rainbow is always curved in the shape of an arc hence it's french name: "Arc-En-Ciel" meaning arc in the sky.

Answer 6

It's a circle, I believe - I think pilots occasionally see them from above, as it were.

Answer 7

It's a circle and you can see this from a passenger jet.

Answer 8

a full circle

Answer 9

straight line!