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?

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Answer 1

Not just any light but light coming from a specific direction. Diffuse light that went through the clouds won’t do anything. You need the sun to be behind you and the rain to be in front of you, so you only see a rainbow when you are between a patch of rain and a patch of clear sky with the sun.