What Causes the ‘Color’ of the Sky During Sunrise and Sunset?

The sky changes color at sunrise and sunset because the sunlight has to travel through more of the Earth's air. When the sun is low, its light travels a longer path, which makes the blue light scatter away, leaving behind reds and oranges. It’s like when you shine a flashlight through a jar of water, the farther the light goes, the more it changes color.

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Examples

  1. Imagine shining a flashlight through a jar of water, the light changes color as it passes through more layers.
  2. The sky turns red at sunset because blue light gets scattered away, leaving behind reds and oranges.
  3. During sunrise, the sky looks orange like a warm glow from a fire.

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