Weather field note
Sun + raindrops
Rainbow Recipe
A rainbow appears when sunlight bends and bounces inside tiny raindrops.
Let's look closer
What ingredients make a rainbow?
unlight looks white, but it carries many colors. When light enters a raindrop, it bends, reflects inside, and bends again on the way out. Each color leaves at a slightly different angle, spreading into an arc.
Look for this
Explorer clue
Stand with the sun behind you and rain in front of you. The rainbow will appear in the part of the sky opposite the sun.
Your turn to wonder
Curiosity question
Can you make a tiny rainbow with a glass of water and a sunny window?