2007-11-28 16:22:48 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Here is a great resource for all sorts of atmospheric optics.
http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
This individual has a whole bunch of information and pictures regarding rainbows and all sort of other phenomenon. I could not find any specific information as to why we only see a portion of it. Hope that helps!
2007-11-28 16:40:50 · answer #1 · answered by Dan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you can get in a position where the sun is behind you and rain or other drops fill the space in front of you, then you can see all of the rainbow - like being on a mountain peak or a tall building. The usual problem is that the rainbow appears at a fixed angle to the axis of the sun and your head and usually there is no rain or the sun is shadowed on the lower half. If the sun is very low in the sky and the rain is near and thus high above you, you may see 3/4's or more of the rainbow. I have seen full circle double rainbows in the extremely unusual circumstance of having the sun fairly high behind me and a very still body of water behind me so that light is reflecting off the water (heating my back) and streaming into the sky upward past my head.
2007-11-29 01:04:52 · answer #2 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It appears fully. Only, we can see half, because, the other half in on the other side of earth.
2007-11-29 00:40:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Half of the world has day rest of the world has night.
2007-11-29 00:28:50 · answer #4 · answered by Honey786 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋