title: The rainbow: from ancient Greece to modern optics.
abstract: We provide a historical perspective on the rainbow, with a review of early research and observations regarding the rainbow's origin and a discussion of some of the major contributors to our current understanding of what the rainbow represents. An overview of the various types of rainbows is undertaken. We conclude with a discussion of the rainbow's link to refraction, light, the visual system, and perception.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences, University of California, Davis Medical Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2400, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. irschwab@ucdavis.edu
authors.forename: Ivan R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.forename: W Barry
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bisno
mesh_terms: D055580:Astronomical Phenomena; D003118:Color Perception; D018645:Greek World; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009229:Mythology; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000266:history*; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000266:history*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular