• Question: Why does the sun turn colours at dusk ?

    Asked by Deeps 2005 to Chris, Hayley, Jimi on 17 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Chris Conselice

      Chris Conselice answered on 17 Mar 2016:

      That’s due to absorption of certain parts of the sun’s light due to the atmosphere. When the sun is on the horizon (setting or rising) it goes through more atmosphere and that absorbs the blue light, leaving it look very red.

    • Photo: Jimi Wills

      Jimi Wills answered on 17 Mar 2016:

      There are a number of reasons… light get bent and scattered by different things, and the different colours get bent and scattered differently.

      The gas in the atmosphere itself, dust, water vapour, temperature changes, these all affect the path of light. This means some of the light gets to our eyes and some goes elsewhere…

      In general that’s why the sky is blue, it’s why the sky can by red sometimes, it’s why the sun changes colour.

    • Photo: Hayley Moulding

      Hayley Moulding answered on 17 Mar 2016:

      It is to do with the sun setting and the changes in the sun in relation to the atmosphere. Where the sun is at in the sky means that it is in a different area of the atmosphere. SO when we see it above us, it is in a different bit to when it is setting or rising 🙂

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