Rainbows

Rainbows

Tricks of Light When the Sun comes out after a rain shower, run outside. You may spot a giant rainbow curving across the sky like a big painting. When sunlight splashes through a window, you might see a small rainbow up close.

Rainbows are optical illusions. We can see them, but they are impossible to touch. We can't walk around them or look at them from the side. The rainbows we see outside seem to move away if we go toward them for a closer look. Rainbows are created by light shining through water or clear objects. In nature, rainbows usually appear where rain and sunlight meet. Rainbows are beautiful tricks of light. Science, though, has unlocked their mysteries.

Where and When Rainbows Appear Notice the weather the next time you see a rainbow. There will be rain or mist in front of you, and the Sun will be shining from behind you. The rainbow will appear in the rain or mist. Water in the air and direct light are the two things needed to see a rainbow in nature. A rainbow won't appear if the sky is too cloudy.

The best time to see a rainbow is usually in the morning or late afternoon. That's when the Sun is in the best place to create one. If you're lucky, you might see a double or even a triple rainbow.

You can sometimes spot rainbows in the mist of a waterfall, too. A splashing fountain can create a small rainbow, and a sprinkler on a sunny day may put on a colorful show. Rainbows can even form under a bright moon. These special rainbows are called moonbows.