Copyright 1999 M.Fuhs

 The July setting sun casts its brilliance
over Lake of the Woods, Ontario

The principle of Rayleigh Scattering explains the red or orange sunsets.  As the sun moves lower in the sky, its light has to travel through "more" of the atmosphere since the sun is at a much lower angle.  In fact at the horizons on a level plane, the atmosphere is about 40 times more thick than it is directly overhead.  Particles and molecules in the atmosphere will scatter out the shorter wavelengths (blue in the color spectrum) more easily than longer ones (red).  Thus, we are left with the reddish portion of the light spectrum to see.  

 

SEASON STARTING DATES AND TIMES

2008

SPRING

MAR 20

12:48 AM CDT

SUMMER

JUN 20

6:59 PM CDT

AUTUMN

SEP 22

10:44 AM CDT

WINTER

DEC 21

6:04 AM CST

 

 

These astronomy pages were developed in response to public inquiries concerning astronomical data.  


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  • Page last modified: January 3rd 2008 12:13 PM
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