A rare display of multiple supernumerary rainbows was captured over the New Jersey shore following the remnants of Hurricane Florence in 2018.
Key facts
- •The rainbows were observed over the Jersey Shore after Hurricane Florence passed through the area in 2018.
- •The display lasted for approximately 30 minutes.
- •At least five supernumerary rainbows were captured in the featured photograph.
- •These rainbows form when water droplets are less than one millimeter across.
- •The observation of supernumerary rainbows in the 1800s provided early evidence that light behaves as a wave.
Following the passage of Hurricane Florence in 2018, a series of supernumerary rainbows appeared over the Jersey Shore in New Jersey. A photographer and his daughter observed the phenomenon for approximately 30 minutes, capturing at least five distinct rainbows in a single image.
Scientific Explanation of the Phenomenon
Supernumerary rainbows occur when falling water droplets are nearly uniform in size, typically measuring less than one millimeter in diameter. In these conditions, sunlight undergoes interference, a wave-like phenomenon comparable to ripples created on a pond. The existence of these rainbows was noted in the early 1800s and served as early evidence for the wave nature of light. Unlike standard rainbows, supernumerary rainbows can only be explained through the physics of wave interference.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by NASA Breaking News.
