Why is the rainbow sometimes double? Why is the order of colors in the first and second rainbows opposite?
September 22, 2020 | Education
| If one total internal reflection occurs in a raindrop in the atmosphere, then the first (main) rainbow appears. The outer edge of the rainbow is red, the inner edge is purple. The angle between the incoming white rays and the outgoing red rays is 42.5 °, violet – 40.5 ° If two total internal reflections occur in the drop, then a second rainbow of a larger angular diameter appears. Due to the two reflections in the second rainbow, the colors are reversed. This rainbow is wider, but less intense.
