Why does a rainbow stay still while it's raining?

[cragar]

Why does a rainbow look so crisp and stationary if the rain is falling. It seems like it would cut in an out.

 

[russ_watters]

There's a lot of rain. Think of it as a lot of megapixels in the image.

 

[pergradus]

whats actually important is the position of the sun relative to you, not the position of individual rain drops.

 

[cragar]

ok that helps guys thanks for the answers.

 

[pmacias]

A rainbow appears to stay still because of the angle at which it is viewed. The raindrops act as tiny prisms, refracting the sunlight and creating the rainbow. However, the angle at which the rainbow is viewed remains constant as long as the observer stays in the same position. In addition, the raindrops are constantly falling at a consistent speed, which creates the illusion of a stationary rainbow.

As for the crisp and stationary appearance of a rainbow, this is due to the fact that the raindrops are falling at a steady rate. This creates a consistent and continuous refraction of the sunlight, resulting in a clear and crisp rainbow. If the rain were to suddenly stop or change in intensity, the rainbow may appear to cut in and out or become distorted.

It is also worth noting that the clarity and crispness of a rainbow can be affected by the size and shape of the raindrops, as well as the intensity and angle of the sunlight. So, while a rainbow may seem stationary and crisp in one moment, it may appear differently in another due to these factors. Overall, the stationary and crisp appearance of a rainbow is a result of the consistent and continuous refraction of sunlight by raindrops.