Green Flash
Created By: fluid
Last Modified: 01/22/06
Summary: an explanation of the elusive green flash at sunset and occasionally at sunriseGreen flashes are akin to mirages
Green flashes are real (not illusory) phenomena seen at sunrise and sunset, when some part of the Sun suddenly changes color (at sunset, from red or orange to green or blue). The word “flash” refers to the sudden appearance and brief duration of this green color, which usually lasts only a second or two at moderate latitudes. As the area that turns green is ordinarily near the limit of the eye's resolution, these are sometimes called “green dot” displays.
Atmospheric refraction: bending of light rays when light moves from one medium to another; in this case air to water
Green flashes are by-products of the large variations in astronomical refraction near the horizon. I have found that although there are several kinds of green flash, every kind is a by-product of a corresponding mirage. That means a separate explanation is needed for each kind; and you have to understand the mirages before you can understand the flashes. (
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