Book 2, Question 140 · Video
Why Are Sunsets Orange and Pink?
Have you ever watched the sun go down and seen the sky turn orange and pink? Light takes a longer path! At sunset, sunlight travels through more air, and blue gets scattered away.
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hey there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why are sunsets orange and pink?
The Big Idea
Have you ever watched the sun go down and seen the sky turn orange and pink? Light takes a longer path! At sunset, sunlight travels through more air, and blue gets scattered away. What is left are the warm colors, like red, orange, and pink. That is why the sky glows near the horizon when the day ends.
Sun Sits Low
Step one: the sun sits low. At sunset, the sun is low in the sky, near the horizon. That changes the path that its light takes to reach you. That extra distance is the secret of sunset colors.
Light Path Is Long
Step two: the light path is long. Sunlight now slants through much more air to reach your eyes. More air means more chances for light to scatter. Only the warm colors make it through, and they light up the clouds too.
Blue Scatters Out
Step three: blue scatters out. Blue light bounces off air particles so many times that it scatters away from the beam. Less blue is left in the light that reaches you.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look at a sunset! First, the sun sits low. Second, the light path is long. Third, blue scatters out. And fourth, reds and oranges reach your eye.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Dust and clouds can make the colors even louder. The same thing happens at sunrise, so mornings can be orange and pink, too. The sun does not really change color. The air changes what we see. Never look straight at the sun, even when it is low.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Ask a grown-up to watch a sunset with you. Watch for ten minutes, and do not look straight at the sun. Notice how the colors shift from yellow to orange to pink. Can you explain why the blue goes away?
Outro
Sunsets paint the sky when light takes the long way home! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!