Current Event

Name: Nadia

Subject: Science 7B

Teacher: Mrs. Medenica

Date: 30 January 2013

 

Current Event

Link to article: http://lightandcolorinnature.org/2011/10/continuing-press-for-triple-and-quadruple-rainbows/

Title of article: Continuing press for triple and quadruple rainbows

Both a rainbow and a double rainbow are beautiful sights, but a German photographer has captured both triple and quadruple rainbows. Triple and quadruple rainbows are an extremely rare sight, and there has been only 5 reports on triple rainbows over 250 years and none on quadruple rainbows! In fact, some scientists even think that these rainbows are just a myth. This is because the first and second rainbows are easy to see since they are farther away from the sun, while the third and fourth rainbow are located a lot closer to the sun causing them very difficult and even dangerous to see from the sun's glare. They can only become visible against a background which is darkened by thunderclouds or during very heavy rain. Also scientists found out that even though these rainbows are created the same way as normal rainbows are only the triple rainbow has three internal reflections and quadruple rainbows have four internal reflections.

I found this article very interesting because before I read this article I didn't know that double, triple or quadruple rainbows even existed! I also find it very interesting that scientists can find out information about such rare things. This article is connected to the unit we are studying in class now because we are studying "Sound and Light" and rainbows are made using light.