What Causes a ‘Sunset’ and Why Does It Change Color?

At sunset, the sun is low on the horizon, so its light has to travel through more of Earth’s atmosphere. This makes the sky look different colors, like a painting! When the sunlight goes through more air, blue and green light get scattered away, leaving reds and oranges to shine through. That's why sunsets can be orange or even purple sometimes. It's like when you mix paint, some colors stay and others fade away.

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Examples

  1. A pink sunset looks like the sky is painted with cotton candy.
  2. An orange sunset feels like a giant fireball is burning in the sky.
  3. Sometimes, the sky turns purple at night, like a magical storybook.

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