What is "green flash"?

Question

I have heard of this phenomena many times but as yet have never seen it. Please explain.

Answer 1

Interaction of light with the atmosphere does all sorts of weird and wonderful things that physics can explain:

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hba... the green flash is one of them.

Essentially the the atmosphere bends light just like a prism - so the colors from the sun get split up, like in a rainbow.

But because the density of the atmosphere changes with altitude, the degree of bending changes and the light curves, and the different colors curve by different amounts.

There is a nice figure on the link that shows why we then see a green flash just as the sun sets

Answer 2

the sun turns green a second before it sets. the green reflects on the ocean for a split-second an looks like a green flash. =')

Answer 3

Check out this web site, it will give you all the answers your looking for along with some good pictures.

http://mintaka.sdsu.edu/GF/

Answer 4

I haven't seen it either, but from what I understand, it occurs at the very last moment before the sun sets fully over the ocean. Essentially, it's caused by an atmospheric distortion of sunlight.

Answer 5

idk?