<p>Looking at your picture I would say it was most likely not taken facing in the direction of the setting sun, but perpendicular to it. What you see as a colour gradient is most likely the shadow of the Earth. I suspect if you took a series of pictures you'd see the shadow (your gradient) moving upwards and becoming steeper while the sun sets deeper behind the horizon. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-05T22:55:12.213Z
2016-04-05T22:55:12.213Z
tipavi
<p>Below is a picture of a typical sunset that I have been observing lately at an undisclosed location in the Southern Hemisphere:</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/T2HDE.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>

<p>Given that the base of the picture is parallel to sea level, you can see that the line where the dark blue meets the red in the sky, is on an angle of elevation of approximately 7 - 8 degrees.</p>

<p>Is there an explanation for this phenomenon (which I have observed for the past few days) and is it related to my position on the Earth, or the time of year?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-08T05:36:48.453Z
It makes some sense, given the incidence angle of the rays with the atmosphere would vary according to season a latitude. No idea where I would confirm this. Physicist, maybe?
mtb-za
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-11T07:44:22.613Z
Which direction are you looking? Towards the setting sun, or at an angle?
Andrew is gone
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-07T03:45:35.173Z
Hill shadows? Is it the same if you move a few kilometers north or south?
naught101
<meteorology><atmosphere>
Why is the colour gradient in the sky at sunset on an angle?
Kenshin
# Why is the colour gradient in the sky at sunset on an angle?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-06)

Below is a picture of a typical sunset that I have been observing lately at an undisclosed location in the Southern Hemisphere:

![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/T2HDE.png)

Given that the base of the picture is parallel to sea level, you can see that the line where the dark blue meets the red in the sky, is on an angle of elevation of approximately 7 - 8 degrees.

Is there an explanation for this phenomenon (which I have observed for the past few days) and is it related to my position on the Earth, or the time of year?

**Tags:** meteorology, atmosphere

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It makes some sense, given the incidence angle of the rays with the atmosphere would vary according to season a latitude. No idea where I would confirm this. Physicist, maybe?  
> **username_2**: Which direction are you looking? Towards the setting sun, or at an angle?  
> **username_3**: Hill shadows? Is it the same if you move a few kilometers north or south?  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-04-05. Score: 1

Looking at your picture I would say it was most likely not taken facing in the direction of the setting sun, but perpendicular to it. What you see as a colour gradient is most likely the shadow of the Earth. I suspect if you took a series of pictures you'd see the shadow (your gradient) moving upwards and becoming steeper while the sun sets deeper behind the horizon.


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