A little reason to celebrate
National Find a Rainbow Day
Nature ยท April 3
A day for looking up after rain, finding rainbows in the sky, in garden sprays and on the wall, and learning how sunlight and water make them.
National Find a Rainbow Day falls on Saturday, April 3, 2027. That is 158 days away.
A rainbow appears when sunlight passes into raindrops, bends, reflects off the back of each drop and bends again on the way out. Each color leaves at a slightly different angle, so white light spreads into a band of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet.
Finding one takes a little strategy. The sun has to be behind you and the rain in front of you, and the sun has to sit fairly low in the sky. That is why rainbows tend to show up in the morning or late afternoon, often just as a shower is clearing. Turn your back to the sun, look toward the dark side of the sky, and wait.
Sometimes a second, fainter bow appears outside the first one, with its colors in reverse order. The sky between the two bows often looks darker than the sky around them.
Rain is not required. A garden hose set to mist, a waterfall, a sprinkler or the spray from a fountain will do the job on a sunny day. Indoors, a glass of water on a bright windowsill or a prism hung in a window can throw small rainbows across a wall or the floor. Children tend to chase these with great seriousness.
No two people see exactly the same rainbow. Each viewer's bow depends on where they stand, so the one you spot belongs only to your eyes.
Ways to celebrate
- Look away from the sun after a passing shower and scan the sky.
- Make a rainbow with a garden hose mist on a sunny afternoon.
- Set a glass of water in a sunny window and find the colors.
- Hang a prism or old CD where the light hits it.
- Share a photo of any rainbow you find, even a tiny one.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, April 3 |
| 2027 | Saturday, April 3 |
| 2028 | Monday, April 3 |
| 2029 | Tuesday, April 3 |
| 2030 | Wednesday, April 3 |
Also on April 3
Categories: Nature days