Refraction Collection (#8)

The Earths atmosphere at sunrise seen from orbit
Earths atmosphere. Sunrise over the Pacific Ocean, seen from a space shuttle in orbit (mission STS-69). The black area in the lower frame is the Earth in darkness

Unusual halo around sun
An unusual halo. A halo is formed when light from the Sun is refracted by tiny hexagonal ice crystals high in the atmosphere. The most common halo is 22 arc-degrees in diameter

Light pillars, Russia
Light pillars in the sky. Some scientists ascribe this unusual optical phenomenon to the reflection of light in ice crystals that form in the frosty air. Photographed in Naberezhnye Chelny, Russia

Green tiger beetle wing
Green tiger beetle. Close-up of the wing of a Green tiger beetle (Cicindela campestris), showing the surface pits that refract and reflect light to give an iridescent appearance

Airbus 330 passing in front of the moon in a clear sky. The hot exhaust gases from the jet engines can be seen distorting the appearance of the moons sphere

Boeing 737 taking off at sunset. The orange plumes behind the aircrafts wings are caused by sunlight refracted by the hot exhaust gases from the jet engines

Eclipsing star, artwork
Eclipsing star. Artwork of a planet passing in front of a star, with the stars light refracting around the planets atmosphere

Sandstone Mesas with Rainbow, Utah. tif C009 / 7042
The formation of sandstone involves two principal stages. First, a layer or layers of sand accumulates as the result of sedimentation, either from water (as in a stream, lake)

Desert Mirage, Libya
A mirage is a naturally occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays are bent to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky

Aperture flare. Close-up of the bladed aperture of a camera lens, demonstrating the phenomenon of aperture flare. The blades of the aperture ring open

Rainbow in Devon
Panoramic image showing a whole rainbow near the river Taw in Devon, UK

Sun Limb Deformation at Sunset
Atmospheric refraction is the deviation of light from a straight line as it passes through the atmosphere due to the variation in air density as a function of altitude

Lunar halo over a desert
Lunar Halo over a desert with saguaro cacti (Carnegiea gigantea). A lunar halo, also known as a paraselene or moon dog, is caused by the refraction (bending)

Boeing 747 taking off at sunset. The orange plumes behind the aircrafts wings are caused by sunlight refracted by the hot exhaust gases from the jet engines

Distortion of the Sun, 17th century
Distortions of the Sun. 17th century diagram explaining how the disc of the Sun appears distorted when seen close to the horizon

Great Equatorial Telescope Paris 1860
Engraving of the Great Equatorial Telescope of the Paris Observatory. This view shows an equatorially mounted refracting telescope of 31 cm (12.8 inch) aperture made by the French maker Lerebours

Lower Yellowstone Falls and spray rainbow
Lower Yellowstone Falls, Yellowstone river. These 33 meter high falls are the largest volume falls in the Rocky Mountains of the USA

Fogbow, Hawaii
Fogbow on a mountain road. Fogbows occur when the water droplets in the air are less than half a millimetre in size. Larger droplets would create a rainbow. Photographed at Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA

Silver Nitrate, light micrograph
Composite crystals of Silver Nitrate, polarised light micrograph

Ripples on water
Ripples on the surface of water

Rainbow over power lines. Photographed on the Somerset Levels, England, UK, in December

Surface of a lens

Stormy landscape, Scotland
Stormy landscape. Storm clouds and a rainbow over Ardfernal township, looking west towards the Paps of Jura mountains. On the left is Mile Long Beach and Small Isles Bay

Refraction in water waves. Waves of water travel more slowly in shallower areas. Therefore when waves move into a shallower area they bend (refract) at the boundary

Ripples in shallow water form lenses and prisms that focus the sunlight onto the sand below

Moon dogs. Image of cirrus clouds in a night sky over a residential area, showing circular spots around the moon. These spots, known as moon dogs or paraselenae

Fogbow over standing stones. Fogbows occur when the water droplets in the air are less than half a millimetre in size. Larger droplets would create a rainbow. Photographed in Brittany, France

Circumzenithal arc. These rainbow-like colours are not in fact a rainbow, but are caused by light being refracted through horizontally-orientated ice crystals, most commonly in cirrus clouds

Silver nitrate crystals. Polarised light micrograph of silver nitrate crystals

Refraction of light
Refraction. Two beams of white light, each passed through an equilateral triangular prism. The light is split into its component wavelengths, producing a spectrum

White light split into colours by a prism
Light spectrum. White light beam is split into its spectral colours as it passes out of a glass prism. White light consists of a mixture of wavelengths of light of different colours

Converging lens. Musical score being viewed through a converging lens. This magnifies the musical notes, making them easier to read. For the same scene through a diverging lens, see image A210/020

Optical pattern. Computer model of patterns formed by bending a coloured transparent sheet. The flat structure is distorted, as seen by the distortion of the gridlines

Copper sulphate and magnesium sulphate crystals. Polarised light micrographs of copper sulphate (CuS04) and magnesium sulphate (MgS04) crystals

Refraction of light by glass block
Use of rectangular glass block to demonstrate light refraction

Prism dispersing white light, artwork
Refraction. A beam of white light passed through an equilateral triangular prism. The light is split into its component wavelengths, producing a spectrum

Light passing through prism
A prism demonstrating refraction and reflection effects. A beam of white light strikes the prism, refracting onto the right hand face

Multiple refraction and reflection from prism
Optics. Multiple reflection and refraction of spectral light from an equilateral triangular prism

Refraction of light by bi-concave lens
Bi-concave lens demonstrating light refraction

Light refraction by lenses
Combined bi-concave & bi-convex lenses to demonstrate light refraction

Diverging lens. Musical score being viewed through a diverging lens. This expands the field of vision and allows more notes to be seen. For the same scene through a converging lens, see image A210/019

Light reflection from 3 spheres

Prism splitting light
White light passing through triangular prism

Bi-convex lens showing light refraction
Bi-convex lens demonstrating light refraction

te light passed through a prism
Refraction. A beam of white light passed through an equilateral triangular prism. The light is split into its component wavelengths, producing a spectrum

Light split into colours by a prism
Light spectrum. Computer artwork of a beam of white light being split into its constituent colours as it passes through a glass prism

Total lunar eclipse, montage image. Sequence of consecutive images running from left to right, showing the Moon passing through the shadow of the Earth

Refraction. Computer artwork showing the refraction of light beams through a biconvex lens. Light changes direction, or is refracted, when it meets a different transparent medium such as a lens

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

Refraction: Unveiling the Mysteries of Light In the realm of science, it has long been a captivating phenomenon. Dating back to the 17th century, René Descartes' optics theory shed light on this intriguing concept. Through his experiments with copper and magnesium sulphate, he unraveled the secrets behind how light bends as it passes through different mediums. Imagine peering into a microscope and witnessing the mesmerizing beauty of copper sulphate crystals under high magnification (LM). Their intricate patterns seem to dance before your eyes, showcasing nature's artistic prowess. Venturing beyond laboratories, let us dive into Armenime Cove's turquoise waters where a graceful Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) glides effortlessly over volcanic sandy bottoms. As sunlight penetrates the water's surface, refraction transforms its path, creating an ethereal spectacle that enchants both divers and marine life alike. Isaac Newton's prism experiment comes to mind—a groundbreaking illustration depicting white sunlight splitting into various colors when passing through a prism (co). This revelation revolutionized our understanding of light and paved the way for further exploration in optics. Pierre de Fermat enters our narrative—an influential figure whose caricature captures his contribution to unraveling mysteries related to refraction (C015 / 6714). His work laid foundations for comprehending how light interacts with matter at molecular levels—unveiling molecular orbitals that govern these interactions. Returning to those enchanting copper sulphate crystals under microscopic observation (LM), we are reminded once again of their role in deepening our knowledge about refraction. These tiny structures hold within them vast insights into how light behaves when traversing different substances. As we journey across continents, we find ourselves amidst Brazil's Amazonia region—home to one of Earth's most enigmatic creatures—the Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis).