Science & Nature · 2
What is the name given to the noticeably darker region of sky that appears between a rainbow's primary and secondary bows?
Answer
Alexander's dark band
The region between the primary and secondary rainbow is called Alexander's dark band, named after the Greek philosopher Alexander of Aphrodisias, who first described it around 200 AD.
💡 Did you know?
Alexander's dark band—the sky between primary and secondary rainbows—is noticeably darker because light undergoes an extra internal reflection, canceling brightness.
Other options people guess
- Newton's shadow arc
- Huygens' twilight zone
- Fraunhofer's dark line
Topics
- physics
- optics
- rainbows
- atmospheric-science
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