Atmospheric
Optics
"Two Sun" Rainbows
A scene by Torill Asmyhr at Torvikbukt/Ranem near Kristiansund, Norway. Added to bright primary and secondary bows are a "2nd sun" bow in the sky and watery reflected bows.
Images ©Torill Asmyhr, shown with permission
Bows in the water are not, strictly speaking, reflections of skyward bows. They are formed by different raindrops whose rainbow light is reflected once from the water.
'Reflected - reflection bows' involve two reflections. the sun is first reflected and then the rainbow rays themselves.
Sunlight reflects off the fjord waters to form upward going rays. These made the third bow in the sky - a 'reflection bow'. It might be better called a '2nd sun bow' because effectively two suns are shining to make two separate sets of rainbows.
All the bows meet their reflected counterparts at the horizon.
