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nAnrainbow is one of the most magical-looking phenomena of nature. Itnshimmers and shines—it is elusive, rare to see and impossible toncatch—it is especially magical when it is bright and doubled.
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Younknow what makes a rainbow, right? Drops of water bend sunlight—thisnis called refraction—andneach color in the sunlight bends at a slightly different angle. n
Younknow what makes a rainbow, right? Drops of water bend sunlight—thisnis called refraction—andneach color in the sunlight bends at a slightly different angle. n
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Anrainbow is a full circle, but because the sun is always fairly low innthe sky when rainbows appear, we can usually only see the top half ofnthe circle.
Anrainbow is a full circle, but because the sun is always fairly low innthe sky when rainbows appear, we can usually only see the top half ofnthe circle. n
nThere are very rare times when we see a rainbow-colorednhalo around the moon, because of high icy clouds at night. There arenalso rare sightings from airplanes of circular rainbows, and evennrarer sightings of horizon rainbows—which seem to be horizontalnstripes—at sunset or dawn.
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nToncelebrate the day, make rainbows! Find rainbows! Share rainbows!
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Thensimplest way to make a rainbow is to spray water into the air.nRemember, the sun cannot be overhead; also, you must stand with yournback to the sun.
Thensimplest way to make a rainbow is to spray water into the air.nRemember, the sun cannot be overhead; also, you must stand with yournback to the sun.n
nAnothernsimple rainbow-maker is a glass prism. If you don’t have a prism, donyou have mirrors or glass with beveled edges? As I put the cut-glassngoblets away tonight in a cabinet with beveled glass doors, I madenlots of teeny rainbows.
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nThisnWikiHownpage tells six different ways to make rainbows. Cool, huh?
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nYouncan make and share rainbows by making:
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- layered jello,
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- cookiesncolored with food coloring,
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- drawings and paintings,
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- even balloon arches!
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- If you are really inspired, you can hold a rainbow party—since it is also World Party Day (see below)!
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nBynthe way…
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nInread that the Irish never believed in pots of gold at the end ofnrainbows. This myth got started because of a misunderstanding of annold saying. The saying went something like this (but in Gaelic):n“You’re as likely to find a pot of gold as you are to find the endnof a rainbow.” In other words, neither of these things is going tonhappen!
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nHatntip to Den School blog and homeschool mom Mindy!
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nAlson on this date:
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nWorld Party Day
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Anniversarynof the start of the Pony Express
Anniversarynof the start of the Pony Expressn
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nConservationistnJohn Burroughs’s birthday
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