Monday, August 6, 2007

Rainbows are Visions

I have been doing some reading this week on Rainbows, the science of optics, the myths and legends, the universality of the human appreciation of this immersive experience. As I continue to develop this blog on Synesthetic Media it seems important to look to the history of 'perceptive experience' and comment on ways in which our world provides natural analog illusion and wonder. As we look to become the creators of new immerive experiences we must look at how we can come even closer to the synesthesia of color and imagination which is transformed in our appreciation of the synthesis of light and water. One of the most interesting things I have learned through this research is that a third tier of a rainbow is 140ยบ from the anti-solar point, meaning in order to see one you have to look in the opposite direction to the first and second rainbow. In context to the Full Dome Cinema discussions from DomeFest (see below) this was quite revolutionary.


The Rainbow Book "Immensely popular book on rainbows and their significance; many contributors, hundreds of photos and illustrations, printed on multi-colored paper" Created for the 1975 Bay Area Rainbow Show by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and published by Shambhala Puplications in Berkeley.

This book goes into great depth and understand through essays to describe all of mythological, cultural, artistic, and scientific knowledge on the human experience of rainbows and aura light phenomenon. Check it out and grab a copy if you see it as this book is no longer in print.

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