Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Q: Dear 100 Hour Gurus:

Through my travels I have encountered several rainbows and frankly, I think I have honestly been at the end of one. In essence, can one really be at the end of a rainbow? does it just end mid air? In addition, can any geographical area have a rainbow?

Sincerely,
Still questioning colors!


A: Dear Color Confused,

Longfellow wrote:

"My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!…"

I, as you, have a secret passion for rainbows, although given its recent transformation into a symbol for alternative lifestyles, I cannot be as free with my love as before - lest I end up in New Hope, New Jersey. (That's just not my bag - baby) But, even though I share this mutual love, I must tell you that once again (like with the penguin-red debacle), you are wrong. You were not at the end of the rainbow.

Legend might put a lot at the end of the rainbow: gold, the letter 'w', heaven for the Greeks, Asgard for the Norse, for Aboriginals in Australia the end is the giant mouth of a ferocious snake, and so on. But there really isn't any way to find out. Although you may feel you've been to the end, it just isn't obtainable.

You see rainbows are optical illusions. When the sun is low enough in the sky, it passes through small raindrops in the air. The white light is refracted through the drop, with red light less so than blue. As it bounces back out of the drop it is separated as a rainbow. You view the rainbow always directly opposite the sun in relation to yourself. All raindrops reflect the sunlight in the same way, but you can only see those that reflect in your direction. The rainbow is also centered around the head of your shadow - the antisolar point. You can get rainbows in other odd situations - like with cirrus clouds, and with sprinklers - but the same general principles apply. And that's the truth!

Of course, I offer two other pieces of info. You can have moonbows - or lunar rainbows.
Additionally, in Canada they have a different philosophy.
Regards,

Roy G. Biv