Bibliograph

The riddle of the rainbow, from early legends and symbolism to the secrets of light and colour, John Naylor

Type

Label

The riddle of the rainbow, from early legends and symbolism to the secrets of light and colour, John Naylor

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The riddle of the rainbow

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

1354256203

Responsibility statement

John Naylor

Series statement

Copernicus books

Sub title

from early legends and symbolism to the secrets of light and colour

Summary

Rainbows have been a source of fascination since time immemorial. They have been the subject of myth and superstition, an inspiration to poets, a challenge to painters, the object of intense scientific interest and a touchstone for ideas about the nature of light and colour. Above all, the rainbow has been the embodiment of wonder from the earliest times to the present day. Beginning with the circumstances in which you are likely to see a rainbow and descriptions of its salient features, this book recounts and explains the myths and superstitions about rainbows, and describes how poets, painters and, above all, leading scientists in every age have sought to discover and understand the rainbows secrets. Readers with a love of nature and art and an interest in the history of science will enjoy this attractive and informative book

Table Of Contents

1 Why Rainbows? -- 2 The Naming of Parts -- 3 Tales from the Haunted Air -- 4 From Myth to Mathematics -- 5 The Geometry of Light -- 6 The Celebrated Phenomena of Colours -- 7 New Wine in Old Bottles -- 8 Unweaving the Rainbow -- 9 The Electric Rainbow -- 10 In the Eye of the Beholder

Classification