Rainbows, Circles of Magic
 At the end of every rainbow is a pot of gold…or is there? Actually, a rainbow is a circle, having no end. Just don't share this with your leprechaun friend because you could break his little heart.
As for rainbows, these circles of magic make a fascinating chapter as one studies our living world. This fascinating article explains the composition of rainbows, types of rainbows, and stories surrounding rainbows.
Rainbows bleed into the sky in the aftermath of storms when the sun begins to shine and the air is still engrossed with raindrops. Although one can only see half of the multi-colored arc, the other half lies hidden from view below the horizon.
Rainbows tend to occur more often in the summer than in winter and are best viewed when the sun is behind the observer, with the falling curtain of raindrops to their front.
Did you ever see a square rainbow? What about a rectangle-shaped one? Well, of course not! Rainbows are curved images because the raindrops reflecting the light are also curved.
'Refraction' creates the beautiful arcs of color in rainbow acting much like a prism so that each raindrop bends and separates sunlight into bands of beautiful, distinct colors. Of course we know that although some rainbows exhibit a profusion of vivid colors, others sometimes make a weak presentation.
Primary rainbows are arranged in the order of the spectrum with the outside, or top layer being red, then followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet. Many times, a faint secondary rainbow is visible with the colors reversed. Very rarely, a third rainbow can be seen. This type of presentation should be prized if you're one of the fortunate ones to encounter this oddity!
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TYPES OF RAINBOWS
A solar rainbow is one that materializes during the day after a storm. A lunar, or moon rainbow is a rare rainbow formed in the same manner as a solar rainbow. Halos that surround the sun or moon are called white rainbows, created by light shining through small ice crystals. Sundogs are colored patches on the side of the sun formed by flat hexagonal crystals falling through quiet air. Sometimes, you may even find a tiny rainbow surrounding your lawn sprinkler. Rainbows can also form in the spray of waterfalls.
STORIES SURROUNDING RAINBOWS
In early history, fables were concocted to explain rainbows. Ancient Greeks regarded a rainbow as an omen by the gods to forewarn of war or a heavy rain. Norsemen envisioned rainbows as bridges, arced modes of travel for the gods to use between earth and their home in the sky. Ancient Hebrews believed the rainbow was a powerful symbol painted by God for Noah (and all mankind) after the great flood. God, representing his promise that the world would never be destroyed by flood again, placed the rainbow in the heavens.
And then there's that leprechaun story…..
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