Can You Get Rainbows in Space?

In this journey through the visible spectrum – and a little beyond – astronomer, planetary scientist and outreach officer for the Royal Astronomical Society Sheila Kanani introduces younger readers to colourful concepts across physics, biology, art, history and more.

Each chapter of the book is based on a different colour of the rainbow, the pages bursting with brilliant illustrations composed by Liz Kay. We’re given an overview of each of the colours, which delves into the science of the particular wavelength, as well as giving us facts about that colour’s use around the world. For example, did you know that, when viewed from a distance, yellow is the colour most visible to the human eye? That’s why warning signs and high-vis jackets are bright yellow.

With clear and accessible descriptions of some tricky topics, Kanani answers questions that many budding scientists will have certainly asked themselves at one time or another. Why is Mars called the Red Planet? Why is the sky blue? And which came first, the colour orange or the fruit? She also of course addresses the question in the title and explains how to make a rainbow in space.

Can you Get Rainbows in Space? is recommended for children aged 7–9, although some of the concepts discussed in the book may be a little demanding for readers in that age group, like the electromagnetic spectrum and the differences between rod and cone cells in our eyes. Still, there is plenty that will grab the attention of young and old. At age 27-and-a-half, I learned that the primary colours in the visible light spectrum are not the same as those taught by my school art teacher! ★★★★★