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Ishihara, Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, Japan

Latitude: 36° 9' 7'' N

Longitude: 139° 22' 7'' E

30 August 2016 1738 (Local Time)
Camera direction: towards ENE

Image P/S code: S.13.5.3

Image I.D.: 4815

Supernumerary bows and Alexander's dark band
This photograph from Japan, taken after the passage of a typhoon, shows a primary rainbow together with supernumerary bows. The primary rainbow displays the colours of the spectrum, as a result of the refraction of the sunlight by raindrops. The extra, or supernumerary, bows inside the primary display green and violet colours as a result of the interference of light waves.

A faint secondary bow is visible outside of the primary rainbow arc. Note that the sequence of colours is always reversed in the secondary bow. The sky is darker between the primary and secondary bows compared to inside the primary; this darker area is known as Alexander's dark band.

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© Masayuki Takada
Ishihara, Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Latitude: 36° 9' 7'' N
Longitude: 139° 22' 7'' E
30 August 2016 1738 (Local Time)

Camera direction: towards ENE
Image P/S code: S.13.5.3
Image I.D.: 4815
Primary rainbow with supernumerary bows
Inside of the primary rainbow in this picture is a series of extra or supernumerary bows. These narrow bands of orange, green and violet colour are due to the interference of light waves.

It can also be seen that the area outside of the primary rainbow is noticeably darker than the area inside of the bow. This darker area of sky is known as Alexander's dark band.
Links in the image description will highlight features on the image. Mouse over the features for more detail.
© Pam Gore
Hinuera, Waikato, New Zealand
Latitude: 37° 52' 56'' S
Longitude: 175° 45' 36'' E
19 October 2010 1812 (Local Time)

Image P/S code: P.13.5
Image I.D.: 4131
Low-elevation rainbows
Rainbows are seen in a part of the sky opposite the light source, which in this case is the Sun. The rainbow arcs are always centred on a point relative to the observer directly opposite the sun, known as the antisolar point. Therefore, with the Sun located high in the sky behind the observer, the antisolar point in this example is located below the bottom of the photograph. For this reason, when the sun is at a high elevation in the sky, rainbow arcs are at low elevation.

This photograph from Brannenburg, Germany, looking across the valley of the River Inn, shows a primary rainbow with supernumerary bows. The sky is darker outside the primary bow than inside – a phenomenon known as Alexander's dark band. Higher in the sky is the secondary bow. Note that the colour sequence of the secondary bow is always the reverse sequence of the primary, and that the secondary bow is fainter than the primary.
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© Claudia Hinz
Brannenburg, Germany
Latitude: 47° 44' 20'' N
Longitude: 12° 5' 18'' E
21 August 2009 1624 (Local Time)

Camera direction: towards ENE
Image P/S code: P.13.5.2
Image I.D.: 4159

Supernumerary bows and Alexander's dark band

Primary rainbow with supernumerary bows

Low-elevation rainbows