Newton's rings

plural noun Optics.

the pattern of light interference produced by the contact of the convex surface of a lens with a plane glass plate, appearing as a series of concentric, alternately bright and dark rings, which are colored if the light source is white.

Origin of Newton's rings

1825–35; after I. Newton, who discovered them

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018