why are rainbows rare? Shouldn’t we see rainbows each time when it rains?

Question

I understand how rainbows are formed. Light reflecting on raindrops (that act like prisms). Shouldn’t that always happen if it rains?

In: 0

Answer 1

If there’s sunshine on rainfall, then yes, rainbows will be visible somewhere, but only to people in the right position to see it i.e. close to the direct line between the sun and the rain.

Remember that rainbows are personal optical illusions, not physical things. They are only visible *to you* if *your eye* is in the right place at the right time. If you can see a rainbow, someone half a mile away likely can’t see one. No-one sees the exact same rainbow as anyone else.