What Makes a Sunset Appear Colored?

Sunsets look colorful because light travels farther through the air when the sun is low. When the sun is high in the sky, its light goes straight to us with little interference. But as it sets, the light has to go through more of Earth's atmosphere on its way to our eyes. This makes the blue and violet parts of the light scatter away, leaving behind reds, oranges, and yellows that we see as the sun disappears below the horizon.