If you pay attention to the sun at noon, then it will seem to us white. However, admiring the sunset, we often notice that the sun and sky around it has acquired a crimson, red hue. Why is the sunset red and the sun changing color? In fact, the celestial luminary does not change its color during the day, our angle of perception changes.
Solar spectrum and atmosphere
Let's try to understand why the sunset is red (from the point of view of physics). Many people know that the solar spectrum combines 7 colors (remember the rainbow). And our atmosphere includes a huge amount of aerosol suspensions (small particles of dust, water vapor), because of which each of the colors scatters in its own way, different from the other. Red makes it worse than anyone else, and it differs best of all - blue and violet.
Color is basically considered an electromagnetic wave of some length. A variety of waves have a length that is different from each other. The human eye reacts to them through the thickness of the atmosphere to which the sun is separated (light source). When the celestial body is at its zenith, the rays are directed to the earth at an angle of 90 degrees (to the place where the observer stands), so we see the sun white. The thickness of the atmosphere, which affects the refraction of light, in this case is relatively small. In white, the entire color spectrum is combined.
Why is sunset red?
During the day, the sun is dropping ever closer to the horizon. The thickness of the atmospheric layer that the rays of the sun overcome is getting larger. This contributes to greater dispersion. The largest wave has the red spectrum. It is most resistant to dispersion. Therefore, the person watching the sunset sees it in red. The remaining shades are completely absorbed and scattered by particles in the atmosphere.
Why is the sky blue?
And why, for example, is the sky blue? This is also due to light dispersion. The colors of the blue spectrum have short waves and are more likely to propagate in the atmosphere than others. Microparticles of dust and water scatter blue rays, and long waves of yellow, red and other rays pass. Therefore, we see the sky blue.
Signs related to the sun
Even our ancestors associated various natural phenomena with any future events. Since that time, there are various signs that, for example, based on the direction of the winds, the amount of snowfall and rain, can predict what life will be like in the coming year, whether the crop will be good. The red color of the sun at sunset is a physical phenomenon, which in ancient times was given a lot of importance, creating the signs associated with it. Here are some of them:
- Sunset, surrounded by many clouds in the form of stripes, promises bad weather.
- If the sun is covered by a huge cloud, and the horizon in the east is copper-red or purple, then wait for the rain.
- On a cloudy day, the bright red sun in the evening before sunset promises prolonged bad weather.
- If on summer days a sunny sunset turns red in the north, then frost (dew) is expected.
- If the sky turns crimson at dawn, then after a day or two it will rain; if at sunrise the sky is decorated with all shades of flowers, then the weather should be expected the same day.
- When the sunset is clear without clouds and crimson, wait for windy and clear weather.
- If at summer the sun at sunset is red and sets in a cloud, then it will rain.
- If this happens in winter, then expect a blizzard.
- When the sunset is clean and clear, tomorrow will be the same; if the sun sets in a cloud, then tomorrow the weather will be inclement.
- If the sun shines brightly on Tatyana’s day (January 25), then the birds will arrive early; if it snows, the summer will be rainy; if it is sunny and frosty - then the summer will be hot.
- After sunset, you can not cut new bread, otherwise the family will be lack of money and quarrels.
- If in the summer the rays go down from the sun, be rain.
- If the lizard is warming in the sun, it will be cold.
Legend of the sun
The people there is a beautiful legend about the heavenly luminary:
Once the Sun had an unusually beautiful flower. In the daytime the flower was guarded by the servants of the Sun, and with the onset of night, he was left alone, unattended. People had heard about this flower and believed that if someone dares and appropriates it, they will turn into a fabulously rich person. One night, people mercilessly plucked a beautiful flower and appropriated it to themselves. In the morning, the Sun did not find her pet in the garden and was very upset.
Days passed, weeks, but the flower was never found. But one day the Sun in one of the houses saw a red glow. It was a shining flower! The sun took it to himself, and this house burned with burning rays. For their greed, people paid in full. Since then, when the sun leaves the firmament, it also takes with itself a flower, which with its radiance illuminates the horizon with a crimson-red light.
So it became known why the sunset is red. Watching the sun will now be even more interesting. Many of the signs can be trusted today. Try and check each of them!