From Wikipedia:
Supernumerary rainbow
A contrast-enhanced photograph of a supernumerary rainbow, with additional green and purple arcs inside the primary bow.
A supernumerary rainbow—also known as a stacker rainbow—is an infrequent phenomenon, consisting of several faint rainbows on the inner side of the primary rainbow, and very rarely also outside the secondary rainbow. Supernumerary rainbows are slightly detached and have pastel colour bands that do not fit the usual pattern.
It is not possible to explain their existence using classical geometric optics. The alternating faint rainbows are caused by interference between rays of light following slightly different paths with slightly varying lengths within the raindrops. Some rays are in phase, reinforcing each other through constructive interference, creating a bright band; others are out of phase by up to half a wavelength, canceling each other out through destructive interference, and creating a gap. Given the different angles of refraction for rays of different colours, the patterns of interference are slightly different for rays of different colours, so each bright band is differentiated in colour, creating a miniature rainbow. Supernumerary rainbows are clearest when raindrops are small and of similar size. The very existence of supernumerary rainbows was historically a first indication of the wave nature of light, and the first explanation was provided by Thomas Young in 1804.
A Rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. The overall effect is that the incoming light is reflected back over a wide range of angles, with the most intense light at an angle of 40–42°.
Playa, also known as an alkali flat or sabkha, a desert basin with no outlet which periodically fills with water to form a temporary lake. Burning Man is a party of 50,000 people on a dry lake bed (playa)100 miles north of Reno, where I participate every year now, and is where I took this photo.
Well, I guess there's a first for everything! Thank you everyone! Wow! Yeah, this shot was from over the perimeter fence at Burning Man, at the airport after a rain storm. I've learned that if I can impress William88, the photo will do well! I thought it was too grainy, and I almost swapped it out for a sunrise shot. It would have done well, too, but not in this competition.
Methinks you need to recalibrate your prediction. It's a great shot that suits the challenge very well. How'd ya get all the Burners to stay out of the frame? ;-)
Double Rainbow on the Playa
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