Concept

Rainbow

Overview

meteorological phenomenon caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

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Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.

This is the reason that oars in themselves straight, when put into the sea, appear to us crooked. The third manner of our seeing is by refraction, and this is perspicuous in mirrors. After this third sort the rainbow is affected. We conceive it is a moist exhalation converted into a cloud, and in a short space it is dissolved into small and moist drops.
Plutarch, Complete Works of Plutarch — Volume 3
The chapter “CHAPTER V. OF THE RAINBOW.” is titled for Rainbow; names Rainbow several times.
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Rainbows and comets do not differ greatly in conspicuousness, and a rainbow is intrinsically the more involved phenomenon; but chiefly because of their far greater commonness, rainbows were perceived to have a direct dependence on sun and rain while yet comets were regarded as supernatural appearances.
Herbert Spencer, First Principles
States what Rainbow is; names Rainbow several times.
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The sun at this moment came forth from the clouds, and made the sight doubly vivid. Below in the spray, wherever you go, you have close before you a rainbow. If you go higher up, you still witness no less singular a phenomenon. The airy foaming waves of the upper stream of water, as with their frothy vapour, they come in contact with the angle of vision at which the rainbow is formed, assume a flame-like hue…
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Letters from Switzerland and Travels in Italy
States what Rainbow is; names Rainbow twice.
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Rainbow

Overview

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