Triple rainbow

[Howard Brown]

Sorry not to use ‘Optical Phenomena Vol III’ Hans, but that thread insists I am not logged in!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-46434720

 

[Hans Stocker]

Hygge, I have had that problem too. Initially only thread behaved like you describe, then all of them. It lasted for a week before I was able to post a reply again and I thought it must be solved, but evidently not yet for all users. I suggest to send a mail about it.

Nice rainbow anyway but not unexplainable in my opinion. I bet there is a large area of water – not visible on the picture – in front of the rainbow. What results is a reflection bow. So you see two bows – the primary an the secondary bow – and in between the primary of the refection bow originating (seemingly) from the same spot as the primary bow. A rare sighting for sure but not that rare as the article states. Look for further explanation on atoptics and don’t confuse it with third, fourth or fifth order rainbow. The higher order rainbows are truly rare to observe.

[Hans Stocker]

Here is the link

Formation of a reflection bow

Note that the drawing sows that the water-surface may also be behind the observer.

[Laurence Green]

Hi Hans and Hygge

This is my contribution to your earlier postings.

Today – 4th December – upon the BBC’s Weather Watchers website is a nicely concise article about a reflective rainbow – that is, two rainbows plus an “intruder”.

Till now I knew nothing about this phenomena.  Well, it goes to illustrate one never tires of learning about weather and clouds.

Here is the link:-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weatherwatchers/article/46440159/rare-reflection-rainbow-seen-in-gloucestershire

Best wishes.

Laurence

 

[Hans Stocker]

Thanks Laurence for the extra link. I inmediately checked the first link and the pictures turn out to be same on yours and Hygg’s link, but what surprised me was that I was sure I read tomorrow a very different text with the remark that only a handful of higher order rainbows were spotted worldwide and there was no explanation about reflection bows. The author did not know yet about a good explanation. Someone must have pointed it out and it is probably corrected, I suppose.

Anyway a marvellous picture. Thank you both for sharing.

[Howard Brown]

Just testing again – today I seem to be able to ‘reply’. Neither I nor GPP know why it did not work a couple of days back. Fingers crossed.

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