In degree mode, the rainbow is an arc circumscribed 41±1° from the anti-solar point ... or 220° from the sun.
The rainbow is rarely 180° arc, typically that's opposite sunset. (A sunset rainbow at Full Moon should be extra special, since the anti-solar point is plotted approximately.) With sufficient elevation (airplane, looking into gorge, mountain) particularly at lower solar elevation, the rainbow can be seen to be a (nearly) full circle.
I guess we should calculate what % of sky (e.g. steradians vs the whole) is contained within the rainbow (40° = 0.7rad exclusive, 42° = 0.73rad inclusive).
In degree mode, the rainbow is an arc circumscribed 41±1° from the anti-solar point ... or 220° from the sun.
ReplyDeleteThe rainbow is rarely 180° arc, typically that's opposite sunset. (A sunset rainbow at Full Moon should be extra special, since the anti-solar point is plotted approximately.) With sufficient elevation (airplane, looking into gorge, mountain) particularly at lower solar elevation, the rainbow can be seen to be a (nearly) full circle.
I guess we should calculate what % of sky (e.g. steradians vs the whole) is contained within the rainbow (40° = 0.7rad exclusive, 42° = 0.73rad inclusive).
Rain on the parade, why don't you?
ReplyDeleteMy rainbow was constructed using 7 concentric circles and taking half of them.
So there. 8-P
Can't make a rainbow without Rain. :-D
ReplyDelete