About rainbows and bands of colour
- There are several reasons why an observer looking at phenomena like rainbows perceives bands of colour.
- The human perceptual system tends to simplify colour information rather than perceiving a smooth gradient across the spectrum.
- Our eyes respond to colours based on their relative brightness and hue when presented with a portion or the entirety of the visible spectrum.
- Observers tend to search for colours they are familiar with and can recognize and name.
- Cone cells in our eyes are especially sensitive to red, green, and blue wavelengths due to the trichromatic nature (trichromacy) of human vision.