How can someone see a green sunrise?

Answer 1

Apparently there are conditions in which green light from the sun is bent by the atmosphere so that it is visible first as the sun begins to rise above the horizon. Instead of seeing the yellow edge of the sun peaking up from behind the water or land, you see a green edge that lasts a second or two before being replaced by the usual yellow. This green flash is the result of refraction (bending of light) and dispersion (color-dependent light-speed) in air and is discussed in considerable detail at http://www.isc.tamu.edu/~astro/research/sandiego.html. According to the author of that site, Andrew Young, given a low enough horizon, which is the primary consideration, and clear air, which is also important, and a little optical aid, which helps a lot, one can certainly see green flashes at most sunsets.
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Answer 2

I have never seen one. I have heard that it is very elusive. The atmospheric condition have to be just right. Plus your best chance of seeing one is at the beach, facing the sunrise. Sunsets are not that cooperative because of thermals in the air. If your ever in the Florida Keys, try your luck facing east> start out at least 1 hour before sunrise. Note. it will be very short lived moment because the light spectrum is constantly changing as the sun rises. You might enjoy a second or two of it. If you do see it, you would belong to that exclusive group of people that can lay claim to seeing a green sunrise.

Answer 3

I think you're referring to the green flash, a very brief flash of green light as the setting Sun finally drops below the horizon or the rising Sun first peeks over the horizon. You need a distnat horizon and the right atmospheric conditions, but I've seen it several times in my life. There was a wonderful book of colour images published by the Vatican Observatory about 50 years ago "The Green Flash and Other Low Sun Phenomena." The Vatican Observatory at Castel Gondolfo has excellent horizons both east and west, and one of the Jesuits there specialized in photographing the green flash whenever possible.

Answer 4

All of the above answers are correct. I've never seen a green flash from the ground, but I've seen it a couple of times from 40 or 50 thousand feet in the air. And Astronauts report seeing them very regularly in orbit every time they cross the solar terminus.

Doug

Answer 5

Check out

atmosphericoptics.com

spaceweather.com (for today anyway)

The conditions must be just right and you can't predict exactly when that will be. You just have to be in the right place at the right time.