# Suncatcher with large facets to create big rainbows **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 30, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604 "2024-03-30T13:59:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604/1 "2024-03-30T13:59:38Z")
I’m in the market to buy a large decorative suncatcher with relatively few facets so it will create fewer but much larger rainbows on the walls. Well, not really rainbows, they’re spectrums, like from a prism. So far my searches have found lots of suncatchers with tiny facets that I know will create a lot of tiny rainbows around a room, but I’d prefer a lower number of larger rainbows. Any recommendations? I’m willing to spend more to get nice big rainbows on the walls, say the size of a hand in a 10x12 bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604/2 "2024-03-30T22:29:08Z")
Larger facets won’t make larger rainbows. To make larger rainbows, you need to either put the prism further away from whatever it’s projecting on, or you need to make it from a material with higher dispersion. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2024, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604/3 "2024-03-30T23:30:35Z")
Well, I remember my grandmother owned a few different ones, and I could clearly see the difference in the sizes of the spectrums produced, in similarly sized rooms. One of the suncatchers was significantly larger than the others. It was somewhat rectangular, had relatively few facets, and the rainbows were the size of my hand, at around 8-10 feet away from where it was hung. Each seemed significantly brighter than the images cast by the smaller round many-faceted suncatchers she had. That’s the kind I’d like to buy now. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604/4 "2024-03-31T00:00:40Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > So far my searches have found lots of suncatchers with tiny facets that I know will create a lot of tiny rainbows around a room, but I’d prefer a lower number of larger rainbows. Any recommendations? [Elongated prisms for elongated rainbows.](https://www.amazon.com/Protection-Charm-Crystal-Suncatcher-Pendant/dp/B0CSNLBNT7/ref=sr_1_157?crid=3LDF2LT4FT8EM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2AZuY6-CFwiWPvc8brlPtknFj7WDi4gxyU3PpYCGteycfcYb1heHYrTer0Yu9pTv0cHgZh780PqSsI-aPktYH0pXjrVgwFBL9WrYfk9sCkzpdV0Rq7YmEXNHkVCBzAsp2lxiererdPYZgAGkJDuRAsZDeEy8xo-UMgN1k_yO9HV6LM2hzgQS6BzLyaCT2Oj2mSUBrUIhyyMyEjqcMYGNch0uo422KkNwTbzhGBSEBif2N3jSa1Fg7lsCrSUF-oXIIITY5YhVdqRJdEo_Hcx0Bz1BzgF9KNrLteXnpWc_Wys.1Lf4vsPn9RlhSn8m171-ZiwRiqOzbOSPgD5dXucO40Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=prism+suncatcher&qid=1711843165&sprefix=%2Caps%2C248&sr=8-157) ETA: bear in mind that DST can affect if your prism(s) get sunlight or not. We had a suncatcher at our balcony door and it only got sunlight during standard time. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604/5 "2024-03-31T00:12:06Z")
I had a door with a beveled edge around the glass. About ten in the morning, and three in the afternoon, if it was sunny out, I’d get fantastic rainbow streaks on the walls. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604/6 "2024-03-31T00:17:38Z")
Would a prism with one curved side produce a magnified spectrum? Spread it out? One side is more of a lens shape. Could a flat face upon a circular base that tapers to a point but in a curved taper. Produce circular, magnified rainbow patterns? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604/7 "2024-03-31T11:31:11Z")
You can buy chandelier drops as separate items. Maybe it might be worth buying a suncatcher that you like the look of, and modding it a bit. > **[100MM Clear Crystal Bar Suncatcher Pendants Chande...](https://gbr.grandado.com/products/100mm-clear-crystal-bar-suncatcher-pendants-chandelier-crystals-prisms-hanging-ornament-home-decoration-lighting-accessories?variant=UHJvZHVjdFZhcmlhbnQ6MTQxMTg5Njk)** > > 100MM Clear Crystal Bar Suncatcher Pendants Chandelier Crystals Prisms Hanging Ornament Home Decoration Lighting Accessories ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2024, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604/8 "2024-03-31T11:48:01Z")
OP might be talking about the length dimension of the projected rainbow, which the size and shape of the prism will have an effect upon. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2024, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suncatcher-with-large-facets-to-create-big-rainbows/999604/9 "2024-04-01T03:04:54Z")
If you want to spread out your rainbows, so they’ll have greater angular spread from violet to red, use highly dispersive glass. Or else use diffraction gratings instead, with the line spacing chosen to optimize the spread.