The appearance of a rainbow after a storm is breathtaking. Reading children's books about rainbows will help little ones develop an appreciation for nature's beauty. The arches look like they are created by an artist high above the clouds, eliciting a sense of wonder, awe, and mystery. Their perfect formation looks like a creation by use of a compass. And the colors, sometimes pale and pastel and other times rich and vibrant, reflect a moody and emotional sky that rivals work found in the world's greatest museums. Nature lovers will adore bringing all of this beautiful color inside with these adorable rainbow gifts for kids of all ages.
Incredible Facts About Rainbows
Next time you witness this colorful formation in the sky with a child, you can also talk about how climate change will continue to impact the frequency of these apparitions. In the meantime, here are some incredible facts about rainbows kids will find fascinating.
The term RAINBOW is derived the Old English word, renboga.
"Regn" means rain and "boga" signifies anything that is bent or arched. Rainbows are arched because they reflect light from the spherical shape of the sun.
Most people believe rainbows are semi-circles because that is how the human eye sees them when standing on the ground.
However, in reality rainbows are full circles of colorful light. When viewed from an airplane, the complete rainbow circle is visible.
In 250 years, there have been a total of 5 reports of a triple rainbow.
This rare phenomenon occurs when rays of light are reflected three times within a drop of rain.
Have you ever noticed that rainbows only seem to appear in the morning or early evening?
The truth is that rainbows are actually present during all hours, but may be blocked by buildings, trees, or other objects. When the sun is too high or too low in the sky, the angle projects light that falls below the horizon, thus making it difficult to see.
Hawaii is home to the most frequent appearance of rainbows than any other location on the planet.
The tropical climate on these islands, combined with a plethora of waterfalls, sea sprays and geysers, contributes to the constant formation of colorful arches across the sky.
Two people observing the same exact rainbow do not see the same thing.
Rainbows are optical experiences, not tangible objects that can be touched or felt. They form when light rays bend The arc, shape, and width of its color bands varies based on the viewer.
Earth is the only planet that has rainbows due to its liquid precipitation and sunlight.
You will notice that rainbows never appear on cloudy, overcast days when the sunlight is obstructed. This optical illusion required both the light from sun and droplets from a rainstorm to be present simultaneously. Rainbows only appear during or immediately after rain. That is because white light is reflected and refracted through water droplets. This light then separates into the seven different colors on the spectrum.
Although rainbows are most easily visible during the day, photographers have snapped their beautiful arches at night.
This phenomenon is known as a moon bow. The illusion occurs when the light from the moon is dispersed through water droplets in the air. To the human eye, the bow will appear white since moonlight is dimmer than sunlight. But cameras with long exposures are able to capture the colorful arches against the dark night sky.
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