why does sunsets in red colour?

Question

about sunset

Answer 1

Sunset rays pass long and deep through the lower atmosphere. They are bent and twisted around the very rim of the Earth.

The atmosphere acts as a giant lens which refracts low sunset rays into long curved paths passing through up to 40 times as much air than the rays from a high midday sun.

Air, dust, aerosols and water drops scatter and absorb the rays throughout their long passage.

Reds, yellows and golds arise because the air itself, small dust and aerosol particles smaller than the wavelengths of visible light, Rayleigh scatterers*, scatter short wavelength blue and green rays much more strongly than longer wavelength yellow and red . The remaining direct unscattered light is dimmed but relatively enriched in reds and yellows. Absorption of specific green and blue wavelengths by ozone and water vapour molecules redden the light further. The sunset rays are sometimes reflected back and forth between clouds and the ground. All this goes to makes a spectacle seemingly painted with every colour and shade of the palette.

When the upper atmosphere contains extra fine dust from a volcanic eruption skies are reddened further.

Answer 2

Brilliant reds, purples and oranges streak across the sky as the sun sets over Lake Huron. As the colours fade, those who have made the evening pilgrimage to watch the sun set head for home and cottage.

Mother Nature's light show system is simple: the sun's colour is determined by its position in the sky. The entire spectrum of colours makes up the sun's light. On its way through earth's atmosphere, the sun's light passes through a variety of gases and minute particles that scatter some of the blue light all over the place. These particles include oxygen, nitrogen, pollution, and clouds containing solid water, water vapor (water in gas form), ice (frozen water) and snow (water in gas form that is frozen). The other colours-red, orange and yellow-are not overly affected by their trip through the earth's atmosphere and pretty much travel straight to the ground. The sky then appears blue because the blue light is strewn across the sky. The blue light is scattered about ten times more than the red. The blue light is, in fact, scattered over and over again across the sky. The other colours, meanwhile, continue pretty much on their original path.

At sunset or sunrise, when the sun appears very low in the sky, the light has to pass through more of the air ("thicker" air) closer to the earth's surface. While more blue light is flung out, almost all of the red and yellow light remains, resulting in a tremendous burst of colour. The red, orange and yellow hues that thrill sunset viewers progress more or less in a straight line directly from the sun to human eyes.

When a great number of small dust or air pollution particles are present, the sky turns redder as these particles scatter more of the blue light. The sky will also appear extremely red after a volcanic eruption due to the airborne particles produced. If clouds are present, they, too, enhance a sunset. The cloud's water droplets act as a reflector and amplifier of the sky's red and orange shades.

And, through a trick of light, while we view the sun slipping beneath the horizon, it is actually already about a diameter below the horizon. The light is bent by refraction so we are able see it from the shoreline or other sunset viewing vantage points.

Sunset Note: The phenomenon of colour scatter is known as Rayleigh Scattering, named after Lord Rayleigh who, in 1871, conducted studies to discover why the sky is blue and why sunsets are red. He discovered that when light travels through a transparent media (i.e. air), most of it travels straight forward, but a small fraction is scattered, creating either a blue sky or a vivid sunset.

Answer 3

vibgyor-violet,indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, red.for experiment
u can put these colours in one disc and rotate it. u ll see only white colour. light from the sun refracts due to tiny particles like dust ,dropletsand scatters red which has less wave length.oh .... its enough . my knowledge increases..lol

Answer 4

Due to pollution. When I was in Hawaii, the sun is yellow right down to the horizon.

Answer 5

Dust and pollution in the lower atmosphere cause the red color.

Answer 6

The impurities in the air between you and the sun....

Answer 7

suns light through more layers of are atmosphere

Answer 8

If you know why the sky is blue then you can answer this question.