Is There Such a Thing as a 360-Degree Rainbow?
We've all seen rainbows but generally you just see the top half. Is there such a thing as a 360-degree rainbow? In short, yes, if you're above the ground. Earlier this month an AccuWeather.com Facebook Fan Don from Vancouver, Canada uploaded this picture of a rainbow taken from a skyscraper:
If you look closely at the bottom of the picture you can see that the rainbow starts to flatten out and turn back to the left -- in other words you are now seeing more than just the top of what is actually a full circle of reflection. While it's impossible to see the whole circle without being in the air, you can see similar effects at waterfalls and on the tops of mountains -- the latter photo is the most complete circle that I've ever seen (sorry, reflections, home-made rainbows, or ice halos don't count).
In related rainbow news, there was a brilliant double rainbow this morning in Wichita, Kansas, and the National Weather Service has pictures to prove it. Here's a shot next to their NEXRAD Doppler Radar:
