Double Rainbow

[Larry Frank]

It suddenly started raining this evening and I noticed that the sun was also shining. I went and looked for a rainbow and was happy to see that there were two. The second one was much lighter than the first. Now, I have seen this before and actually have a picture of a triple rainbow.

But tonight, I noticed that in the second rainbow, the order of the colors was reversed from the primary rainbow. I thought that I was seeing things but looked it up and that is what happens. Even for an old man, seeing a double rainbow is fun.

[Tom M King]

We have photographs of them with all ends in our pastures, but still haven't found the pot of gold.

[Dave Richards]

We had a double rainbow last night at a heavy rain moved through. The inner arc was amazingly bright. Perhaps the brightest I've ever seen.

[Dan Hintz]

You haven't lived until you've seen a complete circular rainbow... still waiting to see a supernumerary and a monochrome one.

[Myk Rian]

We have photographs of them with all ends in our pastures, but still haven't found the pot of gold.
Many years ago we had a rainbow end come down in the median of the highway near the house. There was an old tire there.
True story.

[Jim Matthews]

"What does it mean.....? Oh wow - DOUBLE rainbow!"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOANulc31ds

[David Weaver]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQSNhk5ICTI


Presume that easter egg is from this original video?

[Kevin Bourque]

I have seen about 6 or 7 triple triple rainbows from my front porch,
and on one occasion there was a quadruple rainbow.
It only lasted about 20 seconds before it faded away to 3, then 2,
then one magnificently bright rainbow.


This is a front porch pic of one of the many rainbows I've seen.
I wish I knew more about photography. This pic doesn't really do it justice. 292691

[Jim Matthews]

Yesh, indeedie.

[Wade Lippman]

I have seen about 6 or 7 triple triple rainbows from my front porch,
and on one occasion there was a quadruple rainbow.

I think you are letting your imagination get carried away. Google "quadruple rainbow" and see what your chances of seeing one is, not to mention 6 triples.

[Kevin Bourque]

I think you are letting your imagination get carried away. Google "quadruple rainbow" and see what your chances of seeing one is, not to mention 6 triples.

I live in the perfect setting for rainbows. My front porch faces east, so when storms blow in from the west and the sun is behind them I'll see a rainbow almost every time they pass. The quadruple rainbow only lasted about 20 seconds before it disappeared. It was extremely faint to begin with.

The rainbow pic in my post is pretty typical. I've seen scores of them.

[Kev Williams]

This is by far the bestest rainbow I ever got to take a picture of, very bright, and it's definitely a double - but try as I might, I just can't find a third one in there!

http://www.engraver1.com/boat-ing/rainbo2pan.jpg

[Dan Hintz]

I swear there's a blue hovercraft on the left of that pic, Kev ;)

[Chris Padilla]

Even number rainbows will always have their spectrum reversed because they are a reflection of the previous rainbow. So the second rainbow is reversed from the first rainbow and the third rainbow is reversed from the second and the fourth is reversed from the third and so on.... I'm not sure I've ever seen a triple rainbow as the doubles are relatively rare.

[Kevin Bourque]

I swear there's a blue hovercraft on the left of that pic, Kev ;)

Like the saying goes, "Theres a blue hovercraft at the end of every rainbow"

[Kev Williams]

Here's your blue hovercraft...

(and a boat trailer, an old truck, and a busted piece of boat dock) ;)

http://www.engraver1.com/boat-ing/rainboat.jpg

[Dan Hintz]

I figured it was a boat, I just couldn't tell how it was hanging in the air at that resolution.

[Mike Langford]

Here's a post i started about a double rainbow back in 2008....

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?78529-Beautiful-Rainbow&highlight=