The Sun showers Earth with many types of radiation, most of it in invisible wavelengths like X-rays, infrared or UV. But when energy waves are between 380-780 nanometers, they mean something special to us human beings. They’re visible to our eyes as light. When those visible wavelengths blend together, sunlight appears white. But under the right conditions, that white light can be split into its individual colors — and that’s when a rainbow can appear. So how does it happen? Rainbows often appear after rain or near waterfalls on sunny days, because the countless tiny water droplets in the air act like microscopic prisms. When sunlight enters a droplet, it slows down and bends, a process called refraction. The light then reflects off the inside of the droplet and refracts again as different wavelengths/colors exit at slightly different angles. If enough droplets are doing it and you’re standing in the perfect spot, you might just catch one of nature’s most colorful miracles.