Why are rainbows always in same place?

[Wankytramphands]

Is there a scientific reason I should know? There is often a rainbow and often a double rainbow in the exact same spot (not just the sky!) in my Town never anywhere else is it the way the sun falls or something?

A rainbow is always opposite the sun, and the sun needs to be low in the sky so it will always be afternoon or early morning.

Makes sense. Rainbows are always visible from the north-facing windows in my house and at work, and never from windows facing the other directions. The sun travels across the south side of the sky in the UK.

C'mon guys, this is basic science and how sunlight goes through rain. The sun doesn't move to different sides does it!

Is it not just that you’re always in the same place? And the sun falls the same way too.

They are opposite the sun and most common when the sun is lower. So most often in the east in the afternoon/evening, occasionally in the west/north early morning.

we dont all know basic science
i had no idea

Well yes the sun does “move” through the sky through the day.

The sun will be lower in the east/ west. In summer further north, in winter further south. It means that depending on the time of day, you'll see rainbows within a certain range of degrees/ landmarks so they'll be fairly consistent.

Is it because the 'pot of gold' also stays in the same place, and that's where the rainbow is pointing to?

Well, not really.

At least a helpful poster got there first.

Yes, this is the reason. Basic science.

Rainbows are apparently cone shaped. And we all see 'our own' rainbow, not the same one. They are fascinating really.

atoptics.co.uk/rainbows/primcone.htm#:~:text=The%20Rainbow%20Cone,eye%20to%20produce%20the%20bow.

Hey, not everyone knows basic science for all sorts of reasons! We shouldn’t snark at people wanting to learn.

Yep..the graphic in that link is quite a nice one, thanks for posting it.

From the observer's viewpoint they see that a portion of the rainbow circle that is distant and so is seen projected against the sky and distant landscape. The centre of the circle always being opposite to the Sun in the sky..

It’s always up above the streets and houses.

😂 @stuntbubbles

You're just being pedantic. I guess the sun doesn't rise either?

I need more explanation please, physicists/meteorologists here:
In the linked diagram, are the little circles the sun? What do the three different positions represent?
Thanks

So nothing to do with leprechauns and pots of gold, how depressing

I remember once seeing a full-circle rainbow - it was so beautiful.
I was skiing and standing on top of a mountain, which made it possible to see it.

That's right: the horizon is setting.

I like how some posters never miss an opportunity to make other people feel stupid.

I'll try, with apologies to the purists

I think the idea is the little circles on the diagram are three different drops of water.

The sunlight is coming from behind the observer and is a bundle of mixed colours....in the diagram it's going left to right initially and is shown hitting the the drops.

The different colours in the sunlight get bent by a different amount as they enter and leave the drops..

As a result each falling raindrop bends (refracts) and then reflects different coloured light in slightly different directions..

Top circle in the diagram shows a raindrop in a position that reflects red light back to the observers eyes, the second one down is in a position to reflect blue back to the observers eyes, the bottom one is a generic drop reflecting light somewhere.

In reality of course there are thousand/millions of raindrops and you see red light from a few million, yellow light from another few million, and so it goes.

HTH.

I had no idea they were cones! That diagram is amazing. I'm so glad you asked this question, OP!