Eight Rainbows at the Same Time in Pennsylvania

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A photograph started circulation in the month of May 2016 allegedly showing eight rainbows all at the same time in the sky over the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. The original photograph was shared as the authentic photograph, but the published image has been contrived. This photograph was originally showing multiple rainbows in one photograph and it was uploaded on “Imgur” in the year 2014. The triple rainbows photograph was considered authentic and original, but short information was embedded with this image. A similar photograph was circulated on the internet in the month of April 2015. A research meteorologist Paul Neiman for Earth System Research Observatory at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration explained that these kinds of “quaternary rainbows” originally exist, but in rare conditions.

Eight Rainbows at the Same Time

He further added that these kinds of multiple rainbows come from two different light sources, the sun and a huge reflective earth surface, maybe from lake. It is an outstanding example of primary and secondary rainbows, and can be viewed each year by occurring together with reflected lights during raindrops. Normally, a primary rainbow will be generated by refraction and another with the internal reflection of sunlight during raindrops. The primary rainbow positioned at 41 arc degrees from the anti-solar point. The refraction causes the partition of white sunlight into its specific colors including red color outside the rainbow. The secondary rainbow positioned at 51 arc degrees from the anti-solar point and it is normally large in size than the primary rainbow. The above mentioned primary & secondary rainbows can be original, but displaying eight rainbows in the photograph at the same time were considered fake and false.