Alexander's band - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

12/21/15, 13:13

Alexander's band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alexander's band or Alexander's

dark band is an optical
phenomenon associated with
rainbows which was named after
Alexander of Aphrodisias who first
described it in 200 AD.[1][2] It
occurs due to the deviation angles of
the primary and secondary
rainbows. Both bows exist due to an
optical effect called the angle of
minimum deviation. The refractive
index of water prevents light from
being deviated at smaller angles.

Alexander's band lies between the

two rainbows.

A diagram of the phenomenon known

as Alexander's band, a dark band that
appears between any set of two
rainbows which is the result of
differing angles of reflection of light
through water droplets.

The minimum deviation angle for the primary bow is 137.5. Light can be
deviated up to 180, causing it to be reflected right back to the observer.
Light which is deviated at intermediate angles brightens the inside of the
rainbow.

The minimum deviation angle for the secondary bow is about 230. The
fact that this angle is greater than 180 makes the secondary bow an inside-out version of the primary. Its colors
are reversed, and light which is deviated at greater angles brightens the sky outside the bow.
Between the two bows lies an area of unlit sky referred to as Alexander's band. Light which is reflected by
raindrops in this region of the sky cannot reach the observer, though it may contribute to a rainbow seen by
another observer elsewhere.

References
1. See:
Alexander of Aphrodisias, Commentary on Book IV of Aristotle's Meteorology (also known as: Commentary on
Book IV of Aristotle's De Meteorologica or On Aristotle's Meteorology 4), commentary 41.
Raymond L. Lee and Alistair B. Fraser, The Rainbow Bridge: Rainbows in Art, Myth, and Science (University
Park, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2001), pages 110 - 111 (http://books.google.com/books?
id=kZcCtT1ZeaEC&pg=PA110#v=onepage&q&f=false).
2. David K. Lynch; William Charles Livingston (2001). Color and Light in Nature. Cambridge University Press. p. 122.
ISBN 978-0-521-77504-5.

External links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander%27s_band

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Alexander's band - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

12/21/15, 13:13

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