Today is Saturday, January 21, 2012 and I am expecting a long busy day since my Saturdays are usually “meetings day”. I wake up at 5am for my earlier-than-usual road run. Through the years I have found this to be simple but effective way of keeping up with the stresses. I need stamina to keep myself steady for the rigors of a long day. It rained during the night and the thought of wet socks and shoes after a road run somehow diminished my fervor of getting up.
With much effort I somehow managed to talk myself into going to the memorial park where I jog. As I began my run on a moderate climb I could feel mist on my face from the drizzle that just started. Much of my first kilometer was spent regretting why I did this run because the very light rain has now turned into a shower.
I was doing half-kilometer laps and as I turned for my 3rd lap the rains had suddenly stopped. Now the full view of a panoramic mountain was in front of me as the sun behind me started to manifest itself. Halfway through this lap I was captivated to see a vivid single arc rainbow. This optical phenomenon happens when a spectrum of light appears in the horizon as a result of sunlight striking the droplets of moisture in the atmosphere.
I was doing half-kilometer laps and as I turned for my 3rd lap the rains had suddenly stopped. Now the full view of a panoramic mountain was in front of me as the sun behind me started to manifest itself. Halfway through this lap I was captivated to see a vivid single arc rainbow. This optical phenomenon happens when a spectrum of light appears in the horizon as a result of sunlight striking the droplets of moisture in the atmosphere.
My 4th lap was downhill with the rainbow now at my back. What a fine lucky day I thought, this is the third time this month that I have seen a rainbow in this same spot. I read on it a bit after my 2nd sighting. The traditional view is that the rainbow spectrum has 7 colors. New thinkers however prefer not to include the color Indigo because it has a shorter wavelength and is almost indistinguishable between the blue and the violet.
The acronym for remembering the rainbow's colors is “Roy G. Biv.” Still I have a simpler ‘rule-of-thumb’. The human eye cannot see beyond red and violet – and a step beyond each end being either infrared or ultraviolet. The outside color of the rainbow spectrum is red while the inside is blue. In between them there are only 4 colors left and I bet you can guess their arrangement. In all, there are 3 fundamental colors: red, blue and yellow and 3 complementary: green, orange and violet.
The acronym for remembering the rainbow's colors is “Roy G. Biv.” Still I have a simpler ‘rule-of-thumb’. The human eye cannot see beyond red and violet – and a step beyond each end being either infrared or ultraviolet. The outside color of the rainbow spectrum is red while the inside is blue. In between them there are only 4 colors left and I bet you can guess their arrangement. In all, there are 3 fundamental colors: red, blue and yellow and 3 complementary: green, orange and violet.
I took a turn on the farthest point where the entrance gate to the cemetery stands for my 5th lap, and I am again running uphill. The mountain view is in front of me now and the sun is at my back. Then I saw it. I was spellbound at the majestic view of a double rainbow. The primary bow is so intense and vivid, all its colors seem so distinct. Next to it is a secondary bow, not as vivid, yet clearly visible.
I’ve read that secondary rainbows are caused by a double reflection of sunlight inside the raindrops that takes place at a specific and precise angle. Due to the double reflection, the spectrum of the second rainbow is inverted, with blue on the outside and red on the inside. There is a dark zone of unlit sky between the primary and secondary bows called the Alexander's band.
I’ve read that secondary rainbows are caused by a double reflection of sunlight inside the raindrops that takes place at a specific and precise angle. Due to the double reflection, the spectrum of the second rainbow is inverted, with blue on the outside and red on the inside. There is a dark zone of unlit sky between the primary and secondary bows called the Alexander's band.
As I warmed-down my run with brisk walking, I gave some thought to the meaning of the rainbow and its colors. Violet symbolizes the love for humanity, wisdom and royalty. Red is the color of passion and enthusiasm. Blue symbolizes the color of divinity of the sky. Orange stands for wisdom and energy. Green is the color of harmony and peace. And Yellow symbolizes happiness.
The rainbow itself can symbolize a new beginning, peace and relaxation.
On rare occasions such as today, I get to be so lucky to view a double rainbow. How many have seen one in their lifetime, I ask myself.
Pretty much like real life, luck, as well as opportunity, comes only to the right person who is at the right place at the right time.
