Rainbows introduce us to reflections of different beautiful possibilities so we never forget that pain and grief are not the final options in life.– Aberjhani

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The recent precipitation brought grand, showy rainbows to parched Lake County.

The impressive arches came in, well, every color in the rainbow, or as schoolchildren recall the acronym for the spectrum: Roy G. Biv (red, orange, yellow, green,  blue, indigo, violet).

Receiving  rainfall was a definite relief as it brought some much-needed moisture to Lake County.

In the Roy G. Biv order of colors the hues span the sky in a special sequence of light wavelengths that our eye can discern through the reflection  of the sun through droplets of water.

Double rainbows were in evidence during the  showers, and those special sights – with their order of colors in reverse – are made by the water's reflection on the reverse side of the rainbow, then its being refracted yet again as it exits the water-spray.

A rainbow appears to move, but that's only an optical illusion.

Rainbows can only be detected at a 42 degrees path opposite the sun. It's possible to see a full-circle rainbow, especially from an airplane window.

When photographed  in black and white a soft progression of  shades appears, then fades out on its opposite side.

There is rainbow-like phenomenon called a “glory” and is seen as a full circle, but a glory's circle  is petite, at about 5 to 20 degrees.

Have you ever seen a rare moonbow? Moonbows can only be viewed under the cover of a bright nighttime.

Even more rare than a moonbow is a monochrome rainbow which can occur during rainfall at either sunset or sunrise, and is red in color.

For an even more out-of-this-world rainbow connection scientists have discussed viewing rainbows on a cold, methane-covered moon of Saturn, called Titan.

Kermit the Frog discusses rainbows best in his song “The Rainbow Connection.”

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.