Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think
By A Mystery Man Writer
Description
Most of us only ever see a fraction of a full rainbow: an arc. But optically, a full rainbow makes a complete circle. Physics explains why.
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://preview.redd.it/oda-explaining-rainbow-physics-v0-k4b6ltntmjca1.jpg?width=640&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=24ae42243dc91cffaa65489cd9dfd8b0bfba2117)
Oda explaining rainbow physics : r/OnePiece
Why are there sometimes rainbows? If it were a purely scientific fact that if the light is like this and that then a rainbow appears - then it should always appear
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://compote.slate.com/images/150a2aa2-f8ba-4c84-bcee-cd3c40b70cd3.jpg?crop=590%2C393%2Cx0%2Cy0)
Circular rainbow: Rare optic effect seen from the air.
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://images.nationalgeographic.org/image/upload/v1638882575/EducationHub/photos/red-rainbow.jpg)
Rainbow
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/05/GettyImages-974563676-scaled.jpg)
Curious Questions: Are rainbows actually circular? - Country Life
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://www.snexplores.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/1440_four_fundamental_forces_feat_rev.jpg)
Explainer: The fundamental forces
Why do we not see the full circle of a rainbow from Earth? - Quora
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://qph.cf2.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-16fb5f394de64b1f1113e7739aba7d62.webp)
If the Earth weren't in the way, would rainbows be full circles? - Quora
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://bigthink.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/hiding-in-plain-sight.webp)
Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://physicsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2004/02/PWLIGHTJan15HARDWICK_rainbow.jpg)
The subtlety of rainbows – Physics World
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://earthsky.org/upl/2023/03/Rainbow-Muafak-Bisher-in-Majd-el-Kurum-Jerusalem-Mar-22-2023-scaled-e1680016141741.jpeg)
Here's why rainbows have a curved or arcing shape
![Rainbows are actually full circles. A physicist explains - Big Think](https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2023/05/K3W3KJ-scaled.jpg)
Curious Questions: Are rainbows actually circular? - Country Life
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