3rd & 4th order rainbows, Russia - OPOD

Last updated on September 16, 2023

Exploring the Rare Phenomenon of 3rd and 4th Order Rainbows in Russia

Rainbows have long captivated our imaginations with their vibrant colors and ethereal beauty. Most of us are familiar with the primary and secondary rainbows, but did you know that there are even more elusive and captivating rainbows to be seen? In this article, we delve into the world of 3rd and 4th order rainbows, as captured by Sergei Aleksandrovich Antipov near Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.

Unveiling the Extraordinary: 3rd and 4th Order Rainbows

At first glance, Sergei's photographs showcase the familiar primary and secondary rainbows we often witness after rainfall. However, upon closer inspection, something extraordinary emerges – the elusive 3rd and 4th order rainbows. These elusive phenomena encircle the sun, which lies just outside the frame of the images.

The 1st and 2nd order rainbows are commonly observed opposite the sun, but the 3rd and 4th orders add a whole new level of intrigue to the atmospheric optics repertoire. These higher-order rainbows form when sunlight undergoes multiple internal reflections and refractions within raindrops, resulting in additional concentric rings of colors.

A Rare Glimpse of the 4th Order Rainbow

Sergei's photograph could potentially be the second ever captured image of the elusive 4th order rainbow. The first image of the 3rd order bow was taken by Michael Grossman in May 2011, while the 4th order was documented by Michael Theusner a month later. Sergei's fortuitous encounter with these rare phenomena highlights the unpredictability and wonder of atmospheric optics.

The Serendipitous Capture

Sergei recounts his experience on that fateful day near Nizhny Novgorod. As the afternoon progressed, dark clouds emerged from the east, an unusual occurrence as cumulonimbus clouds typically approach from the west. Although it wasn't raining, a brilliant primary and secondary rainbow adorned the sky.

Sensing that there was something more to behold, Sergei decided to capture the bows with his camera. Just as he was about to finish photographing, raindrops began to fall, accompanied by intermittent rays of sunlight. In a fleeting moment, Sergei glimpsed something in the sunward part of the sky. Acting quickly, he took two photos with a polarizing filter set at different angles, aiming to enhance and filter out the rainbows simultaneously.

Unraveling the Mystery Months Later

Sergei's initial inspection of the photos on his aging laptop yielded no remarkable discoveries. However, six months later, while viewing the images on a higher-quality monitor, he noticed an intriguing arc. Puzzled by its nature, he sought the expertise of Vladimir Galynsky, an experienced observer of ice-halos from Minsk, Belarus. Galynsky suggested that it resembled a tertiary rainbow and encouraged Sergei to share the photo with a wider audience.

Driven by curiosity, Sergei experimented with different RAW-converters and found that the DxO optics converter yielded the best result. Despite this improvement, the 3rd order bow remained faintly visible. Seeking further enhancement, Sergei turned to Lightroom, generating 15 TIFF files with varying exposures. Applying vibrance and contrast adjustments to each file, he combined them using PhotomatixPro and continued refining the image in Photoshop.

Unveiling the Elusive: Enhancing Visibility

To further enhance the visibility of the 3rd and 4th order rainbows, Sergei employed various techniques. He employed LAB mode and selectively applied an unsharp mask separately to channels A and B. Additionally, he strategically diminished the image saturation multiple times. By repeating these actions, Sergei gradually unveiled the intricate details of the higher-order rainbows.

To refine the final image, Sergei utilized Gaussian blur and emboss tools. By combining the rainbow segment of the latest image with Images 3 and 2 using feathered selections, he achieved a more comprehensive representation. Layering techniques, such as hard light mode and luminosity modes, were employed to merge the layers seamlessly. Finally, noise reduction techniques were implemented to produce a visually stunning image.

A Glimpse into the Extraordinary

Sergei's extraordinary photographs offer us a glimpse into the world of 3rd and 4th order rainbows, a realm rarely witnessed by human eyes. These higher-order rainbows serve as a testament to the complex interplay of light and water droplets in our atmosphere. As we continue to explore and document atmospheric optics, we may unravel even more captivating phenomena that lie just beyond our reach.

All 4 Rainbow Orders! ~ Sergei Aleksandrovich Antipov captured this rare scene on June 22, 2013 from a village near Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. All images ©Sergei Antipov, shown with permission

At left are the two 'ordinary' primary and secondary rainbows. At right are the fabled and long sought 3rd and 4th order bows. The 1st and 2nd orders are opposite the sun. The 3rd and 4th orders circle the sun which is out of the frame at far right. The very first image of the 3rd order bow was by Michael Grossman in May 2011 and the 4th order was captured by Michael Theusner a month later. Sergei's image could be the second one obtained of the 4th order.

Sergei explains: In late afternoon there were black clouds that came from the east (usually cumulonimbus comes from the west). Cumulonimbus covered almost all the sky and although it was not raining there was a bright primary and good secondary rainbow.

I photographed the bows and in 10 minutes it started to rain but still with some sun. It seemed to me that I saw something in the other .sunward. part of the sky. I saw it for an instant and couldn't see again. So I took two photos with a polarizing filter set in different angles to (1) enhance the bows and (2) filter them out.

I found nothing at the time on my elderly laptop but I remembered the photos 6 months later (November).

On the good monitor I edited the color balance and curves in Photoshop and was surprised to see an arc. What is this? I showed my photo to Vladimir Galynsky (Minsk, Belarus, an experienced observer of ice-halos). He told me that it was similar to a tertiary rainbow and advised to send the photo to you.

I tried some RAW-converters and the best result showed on the DxO optics converter. I made one tiff file of one raw file. .This is Image B at left.. But the 3rd order bow is still barely visible.

I opened the RAW file in another converter, Lightroom. 15 tiff files were generated with a range of exposures. Vibrance and contrast was added to all of them. The 15 tiffs were then combined in PhotomatixPro and this image was then processed further in PhotoShop.

LAB mode was used with an unsharp mask applied separately to channels A and B. Then, I selectively diminished the image saturation. These actions were repeated several times. .Image C at left..

{To improve the 3/4th order bow visibility further. I then used Gaussian blur and emboss tools. The rainbow part of this latest image was combined with Images 3 and 2 using 20-30 pixel feathered selections. Layers were combined with hard light mode and luminosity modes. Finally noise was reduced .Image D..

Processing scheme

Alternative processing by Nicolas Lefaudeux to reveal the higher order bows.

His method is outlined here and given in more detail in this account.

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Reference Atmospheric Optics

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