Mirage vs. Rainbow — What's the Difference?

Optical illusion caused by atmospheric refraction.

An arc of colors visible in the sky.

Often mistaken for real water bodies.

Secondary rainbows are fainter and have reversed colors.

Appears as a distorted or inverted image.

Formed by the refraction of sunlight in water droplets.

Can occur in any climate but are most common in deserts.

A symbol of hope and promise.

Created by temperature differences in air layers.

Can appear as a full circle from high vantage points.

A mirage is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French (se) mirer, from the Latin mirari, meaning "to look at, to wonder at".Mirages can be categorized as "inferior" (meaning lower), "superior" (meaning higher) and "Fata Morgana", one kind of superior mirage consisting of a series of unusually elaborate, vertically stacked images, which form one rapidly-changing mirage.

A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc.

An optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water, often with inverted reflections of distant objects, and results from distortion of light by alternate layers of hot and cool air. Also called fata morgana.

An arc of spectral colors, usually identified as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, that appears in the sky opposite the sun as a result of the refractive dispersion of sunlight in drops of rain or mist.

Something illusory or insubstantial.

A similar arc or band, as one produced by a prism or by iridescence.

An optical phenomenon in which light is refracted through a layer of hot air close to the ground, often giving the illusion of a body of water.

A graded display of colors.

(figuratively) An illusion.

An illusory hope

(transitive) To cause to appear as or like a mirage.

A diverse assortment or collection.

An optical effect, sometimes seen on the ocean, but more frequently in deserts, due to total reflection of light at the surface common to two strata of air differently heated. The reflected image is seen, commonly in an inverted position, while the real object may or may not be in sight. When the surface is horizontal, and below the eye, the appearance is that of a sheet of water in which the object is seen reflected; when the reflecting surface is above the eye, the image is seen projected against the sky. The fata Morgana and looming are species of mirage.

A multicoloured arch in the sky, produced by prismatic refraction of light within droplets of rain in the air.

An optical illusion in which atmospheric refraction by a layer of hot air distorts or inverts reflections of distant objects

Any prismatic refraction of light showing a spectrum of colours.

Something illusory and unattainable

(often used with “of”) A wide assortment; a varied multitude.

(figurative) An illusion; a mirage.

(baseball) A curveball, particularly a slow one.

(poker slang) In Texas hold 'em or Omaha hold 'em, a flop that contains three different suits.

A person within the LGBT community.

Made up of several races or ethnicities, or (more broadly) of several cultural or ideological factions.

(attributive) LGBT.

Composed entirely of different suits.

Of or pertaining to rainbow tables.

(transitive) To brighten with, or as with, a rainbow; to pattern with the colours of the rainbow.

(intransitive) To take the appearance of a rainbow.

(climbing) In climbing gyms where the rocks to climb are colored to indicate suggested climbing routes, to climb rocks of different colors, thereby ignoring such routes.

A bow or arch exhibiting, in concentric bands, the several colors of the spectrum, and formed in the part of the hemisphere opposite to the sun by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays in drops of falling rain.

An arc of colored light in the sky caused by refraction of the sun's rays by rain

An illusory hope;

Mirages are caused by the refraction of light due to temperature gradients in the air.

No, mirages are optical illusions and do not represent real water bodies.

Yes, mirages can appear at night, caused by artificial lights and temperature differences, though they are less common.

A rainbow is formed when sunlight is refracted, reflected, and dispersed in water droplets, creating a spectrum of light.

The scientific principles of light refraction, reflection, and dispersion explain both mirages and rainbows.

A primary rainbow is brighter with red on the outer edge, while a secondary rainbow is fainter and has its colors reversed.

While the rainbow itself is a physical phenomenon, each observer sees it differently due to their unique perspective and position relative to the light source and water droplets.

No, it's not possible to reach the end of a rainbow because it's an optical phenomenon that moves with the observer's perspective.

Rainbows have distinct colors because water droplets disperse sunlight into its component colors at different angles.

Both phenomena have rich interpretations in mythology, often seen as omens, bridges to the divine, or symbols of hope and promise.

While common in deserts, mirages can occur in any climate where conditions create significant air temperature gradients.

A supernumerary rainbow is a type of rainbow that appears as additional, faint arcs inside the primary rainbow, caused by wave interference.

Double rainbows, consisting of a primary and secondary rainbow, are relatively common but depend on the right atmospheric conditions.

Predicting specific mirages is difficult due to the need for precise atmospheric conditions, though they are more likely in certain climates and situations.

Atmospheric conditions such as temperature, humidity, and the presence of water droplets are crucial for the formation of both phenomena.