Book 7, Question 118
Why Do Clouds Turn Pink at Sunrise?
At sunrise, clouds can glow in soft pink, like a blush on the sky. When the Sun is low, its light has a very long trip through the air. The blues scatter away on the way, so pink and orange light reaches the clouds!
More fun facts
- Clouds high in the sky catch sunlight longer than the ground does, so they glow after the ground is already in shadow.
- Astronauts have photographed cloud tops from space reflecting reddened sunlight at the edge of day and night.
- Some very high clouds, called noctilucent clouds, can glow well after dark.
- Noctilucent clouds are thought to be made of tiny ice-coated particles, but much about them is still unknown.
- Beams of light and shadow called crepuscular rays can stretch across the sky at sunrise and sunset.
Sources: NASA Science, NASA Science, NASA Science
Questions kids ask
Why do clouds stay colorful after sunset?
High clouds still catch sunlight after the ground is in shadow.
What are crepuscular rays?
Beams of light and cloud shadows that stretch across the sky at sunrise and sunset.