SAN ANTONIO – The last few sunsets in South Central Texas and San Antonio have been gorgeous! Check out some of the pictures sent in by KSAT 12 viewers.
WHY ARE SUNRISES/SUNSETS COLORFUL?
It’s all about the kindergarten staple of how light breaks down into different colors — ROYGBIV!
At sunset, when the sun is low on the horizon, the light scatters through more of the atmosphere than during the day. The longer wavelengths of red and orange light remain visible. Blue light, which has a shorter wavelength, is not visible because all of the particles are broken up.
LaskowskiC
Sunday Sunset near Canyon Lake
Kathy Kern
Sunset 12-4-23 in Seguin.
DOES TIME OF YEAR MATTER?
Yes! In the winter, the sun angle is lower which means that sunrises and sunsets last a little longer. There’s also typically less water vapor, or humidity, in the air during the winter. This allows for more vibrant colors and less hazy skies.
SkyWatcher (Oscar)
Yet another golden hour sky.
WHAT TYPE OF CLOUDS MAKE FOR THE BEST VIEWING?
A scattering of mid-level and high-level clouds creates colorful sunrises and sunsets. This is because the higher clouds intercept the longer wavelength red and orange light as the sun is setting.
Denise Gavino
Vibrant Sunset in The Woodlands tonight
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