Newton's rings. Rings of colour created by white light shining on a convex lens pressed against a flat glass plate. Some of the light reflects off of the bottom of the convex lens, while the rest of the light travels through the lens and reflects off of the surface of the glass plate. The reflected light waves interfere with each other, either constructively (coloured rings) or destructively (black rings). This phenomenon was first discussed by Newton in a communication to the Royal Society in December 1675.