<p>In addition to the atmospheric color effects described by a_donda, there can also be color variations in the sun itself during a single sunrise or sunset, which are again caused by atmospheric effects.  Here too, gradients on temperature and density are more important than an overall hot or cold temperature.  These gradients cause refraction effects that may magnify the ordinarily tiny separation of sunlight into its different colors, causing green or even blue colors to briefly appear in the rising or setting sun.  Sunsets over water are a common setting for viewing such <strong>green flashes</strong>, but I have seen them at <em>sunrise</em> over Lake Michigan from Chicago.</p>
<p>The most common form of such a green flash involves a setting where cooler air is atop a warmer surface, which produces an <a href="https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/courses/atsc113/sailing/met_concepts/10-met-local-conditions/10f-optical-phenomena/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">inferior mirage</a> like we commonly see in a desert or on a roadway.  In this case, however, we are basically looking along the reflection plane where the mirage produces magnification and therefore makes the green flash visible.</p>
<p>The reader can learn more about green flashes <a href="https://aty.sdsu.edu/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-03T01:07:19.807Z
According to the referenced page. they may not be all that rare, but you may need a trained eye to spot most of them.
Oscar Lanzi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-02T23:35:31.917Z
2020-08-03T00:02:31.507Z
2020-08-03T00:02:31.507Z
Oscar Lanzi
<p>I heard that hot weather in the summer makes the pastel colors of the sunset sky more vivid and more red? Is this true? But I also heard that in the winter, the colors of the sunset sky are brighter and more pronounced. How could both of these be true?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-31T07:31:42.553Z
For stuff like that, the site Atmospheric Optics is a good source of information. It has a sunset section: https://www.atoptics.co.uk/atoptics/sunsets.htm
Jean-Marie Prival
<meteorology><atmosphere><sun>
Color of Sunsets
Ryan Amalfitano
# Color of Sunsets

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-30)

I heard that hot weather in the summer makes the pastel colors of the sunset sky more vivid and more red? Is this true? But I also heard that in the winter, the colors of the sunset sky are brighter and more pronounced. How could both of these be true?

**Tags:** meteorology, atmosphere, sun

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: For stuff like that, the site Atmospheric Optics is a good source of information. It has a sunset section: https://www.atoptics.co.uk/atoptics/sunsets.htm  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-08-02. Score: 0

In addition to the atmospheric color effects described by a\_donda, there can also be color variations in the sun itself during a single sunrise or sunset, which are again caused by atmospheric effects. Here too, gradients on temperature and density are more important than an overall hot or cold temperature. These gradients cause refraction effects that may magnify the ordinarily tiny separation of sunlight into its different colors, causing green or even blue colors to briefly appear in the rising or setting sun. Sunsets over water are a common setting for viewing such **green flashes**, but I have seen them at *sunrise* over Lake Michigan from Chicago.

The most common form of such a green flash involves a setting where cooler air is atop a warmer surface, which produces an [inferior mirage](https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/courses/atsc113/sailing/met_concepts/10-met-local-conditions/10f-optical-phenomena/) like we commonly see in a desert or on a roadway. In this case, however, we are basically looking along the reflection plane where the mirage produces magnification and therefore makes the green flash visible.

The reader can learn more about green flashes [here](https://aty.sdsu.edu/).

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: According to the referenced page. they may not be all that rare, but you may need a trained eye to spot most of them.  

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