One of the most stunning natural events in the world is a sunset. The colour of the sky can range from blazing reds and oranges to delicate pinks and purples. But why do sunsets have a reddish hue?
The interaction of light with the Earth’s atmosphere is the key to the solution. All the colours of the rainbow are present in sunlight, but blue light has a shorter wavelength than other colours and is more easily scattered by atmospheric particles. The daytime sky seems blue because of this.
Sunlight must penetrate more of the atmosphere to reach our eyes at sunset. The longer wavelength colours of red, orange, and yellow are what remain after the majority of the blue light has been scattered away by the time the light reaches us. This is why sunsets frequently have a red hue.
The amount of airborne dust and pollution, for example, can have an impact on a sunset’s colour. All colours of light can be scattered by dust and pollution, but blue light is typically scattered more than other colours. Because of this, sunsets in polluted places frequently have a redder hue than sunsets in unpolluted areas.
Listed below are some additional details regarding sunsets:
The sunset will appear redder the longer light has to travel through the atmosphere. This explains why sunsets in the winter, when the sun is lower in the sky, are frequently more crimson than in the summer.
The hue of a sunset can also be influenced by clouds. All colours of light can be scattered and reflected by clouds, although red light is typically reflected more so than other colours. Because of this, sunsets with clouds frequently have a more vibrant appearance than sunsets without clouds.
The colour of a sunset can also be influenced by the type of clouds. Cirrus clouds, for instance, scatter blue light more than other colours and are typically thin and wispy. Sunsets with cirrus clouds may appear more pastel as a result.
