Rainbows

Rainbows

Introduction When the Sun shines after it rains, run outside. You may see a giant rainbow sweeping across the sky. Sometimes you may even spot small rainbows indoors when sunlight shines through a window.

Rainbows are illusions made by light. We can see them, but we can't touch them or walk around them. Outdoor rainbows seem to move away when we go toward them. Rainbows appear when light shines through something clear like water. They are beautiful tricks of light. Science, though, can explain the tricks.

Where and When Rainbows Appear Look around the next time you see a rainbow. The Sun will be shining from behind you, and there will be rain in front of you. That is where you will see the rainbow.

Rainbows need water drops and sunshine to form. Rainbows most often appear in the morning or late afternoon. That's when the Sun is in the best places to create one. You might even see a double rainbow.

You may see rainbows in the mist of a waterfall, too. A splashing fountain can also create a small rainbow. Rainbows can even form under a bright moon. These are called moonbows.