What Causes a ‘Sunset’ and Why Does It Change Colors?

At sunset, the sun is low in the sky, so its light has to travel a longer path through Earth’s atmosphere. This makes the blue and violet light scatter more, leaving behind reds and oranges, like when you look at a glass of water with food coloring and see the colors separate.

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Examples

When you look at a glass of water with food coloring, the colors separate, just like the sky during a sunset.
A red apple looks even redder when the sun is low in the sky, because red light travels straight to your eyes.
During cloudy days, the clouds act like filters, making the sky appear pink or orange.

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Categories: Science · sunsets,light scattering,optics,atmosphere,sky colors