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Posted by on Jan 12, 2015 in TellMeWhy |

How Many Sides Does a Rainbow Have?

How Many Sides Does a Rainbow Have?

When I see a Rainbow, can People see the other side? or How many sides does a rainbow have? Children love to ask why — but you may not always have the answers. We consulted the experts to get smart responses for one of the common stumpers.

The whole point is that there really is no other side to the rainbow, all rainbows are full circles, and however, the average observer only sees approximately the upper half of the arc, the illuminated droplets above the horizon from the observer’s line of sight. To see a rainbow, you must be watching from just the right angle.

Does the back of a rainbow look the same as its front side? A rainbow does not have a back side. You can see a rainbow only when the sun is behind you and the sky in front is filled with raindrops.

Anyone trying to look at the other side of the rainbow would simply be looking toward the sun. A rainbow is due to the bending and reflection of the sun’s rays when they are shining on raindrops in the air.

The size of the bow depends upon how much water is in the air, as well as on the position of the sun. The higher the sun is in the sky, the smaller the arc of the bow. So now you can tell a friend of yours about how many sides does a rainbow have.

Content for this question contributed by Kim Podojil, resident of Novelty, Ohio, USA