Second Rainbows?

Question

As i write i can see two beautiful rainbows in the sky, both actually very strong in colour, but one question that has bugged me for years, why is the second rainbow, and often the third one too, always in reverse colour order. I know that rainbows are made by the suns light scattering through the raindrops, like light through thousands of prisms, but why are the colours reversed??

Answer 1

This is another very good question and I have your answer. On those occasions when a rather spectacular rainbow is visible, an observer will occasionally be treated to a view of a dimmer secondary rainbow. The secondary bow will be visible about 8 degrees above the primary bow and will suspend a larger arc across the sky. The secondary bow also has a slightly narrower band of colors than the primary bow and the colors as you may have noticed are in reverse order. Red makes up the innermost band of the secondary bow and violet the outermost. The secondary rainbow is generated in much the same manner as the primary. The main difference is that the dispersed light which constitutes the secondary is reflected twice within a raindrop before it exits. The extra reflection results in a 50 degree angle for the dispersion of the color red (about 8 degrees higher than the primary ) and a reverse order of the colors.

Answer 2

In the case of the primary rainbow(the inner one) only one internal reflection takes place inside the rain drop whereas in the case of the secondary rainbow two internal reflections of the sun's rays takes place and hence the colours are reversed.
You may be knowing that your image is reflected in a mirror and the reflected image is reversed,ie your left arm will look like right arm;is it not? It is someting like that .For every additional reflection,the colour sequence will be reversed.If you are seeing a third rainbow,that means three internal reflections have occured inside a drop.But the intensity will reduce for every additional reflection.

Answer 3

Because of the way light reflects its image back to your mind. Your seeing it at different angles and refractions of the light through the water in the sky.

The different refrations of the two rainbows hit your eyes from two differnt locations at the same time and register in your brain in reverse order. Its an interesting phenomen.

The rainbows themselves are also not as close together as they look. they look right next to each other from your prespective on the groud, but if you where to go to one of the rainbow and gaze at the other, you would notice that it is actually far from it. The distance is what does it.

Answer 4

the secondary bow is the other way round , because there are 2 internal reflections instead of 1

the tertiary bow is behind the observer of the primary, ie turn through 180 degrees to look at it.

it has 3 internal reflections as is the same way round as the primary bow.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

ive seen a few double rainbows and they look great.iv taken some lovely fotos of some too,if i find my camera quick enuf.we become mezmerized by their colour and beauty.