The True Shape of a Rainbow: Debunking the Semicircular Arc Myth Explained by Experts

KOMPAS.com – A rainbow is one of the beautiful natural phenomena that usually appears after rain.

Sometimes a rainbow forms what looks like a long, perfect arc, but other times it looks just as a short, small curved line across the sky.

What is the actual shape of the rainbow?

The shape is actually a rainbow

In a study cited by Live Science, January 2023 issue, it was explained that the actual shape of a rainbow is not a semicircular arc as is often imagined so far.

The true shape of a rainbow is a full circle. Although a rainbow looks like an arc when observed from the surface of the earth.

Also read: What Is a Rainbow, a Phenomenon that Appears Ahead of Queen Elizabeth II’s Funeral?

Michael Kavulich, a research scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, who is also a rainbow expert, explained that the shape of a rainbow can differ depending on the position of the observer and the number of surfaces blocking the view.

“We see only half of the rainbow circle because some of the light that makes up the rainbow is blocked by the surface of the earth,” said Michael Kavulich.

As reported by Science ABC, a rainbow is not actually a semicircle or arc as is often seen.

Actually, the rainbow is a circle. The appearance of a rainbow depends largely on the position of the observer.

When moving places, the appearance of the rainbow also changes, so that everyone can have a different view of the shape of the rainbow.

Also read: Secrets of the Universe: It Turns Out the Best Rainbows on Earth Are in Hawaii

Therefore, in order to observe a rainbow in the shape of a circle, one must be at a fairly high altitude. Like being in a tall building or seeing it while on a plane.

The process of forming a rainbow

Quoted from the May 8 2022 edition of Science ABC, there are two main components needed for a rainbow to form, namely water droplets and sunlight.

When sunlight hits water droplets, two things happen, namely light can pass through the droplets or the light can be reflected.

Reflected from the surface of the water droplets, and then reflected again as they exit, resulting in the scattering of white light into the seven visible colors to form a rainbow.

This light is made up of many different wavelengths, and each wavelength is reflected at a different angle.

Red has the longest wavelength, around 650 nanometers, and is often seen outside the arc of the rainbow. Meanwhile, purple has the shortest wavelength, around 400 nanometers, and is often seen on the inside of the rainbow arc.

Also read: Rainbow Cloud Phenomenon in Tokyo, What Is It? This is Member Explanation

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2023-09-08 02:30:00
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