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I think I may recall sometimes a rainbow going away when a cloud comes between myself and the sun. I know that the appearance of the rainbow is location dependent. But do we need the sun, rainbow, observer triangle for the effect to manifest?

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  • $\begingroup$ Do you count the rainbows made by icy clouds? Because the sun can be behind those ones $\endgroup$
    – Triatticus
    Commented Mar 8, 2020 at 18:18

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No, while looking at a rainbow you can hold an umbrella over your shoulder to shade your head.

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While observing a rainbow your back is on sunside, but you dont face the sun (into your eyes). Because light undergoes total internal reflection within each raindrop. What you see is the refracted ray undergoing dispersion.

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