Why Does the Sky Change Color at Sunset?

At sunset, the sky changes color because sunlight has to travel through more of Earth’s atmosphere. Think of it like a big filter: when the sun is low, its light passes through more air, scattering blue and green light away. What's left? Red, orange, and pink, the colors you see in the sky. It's like when you shine a flashlight through a cup of water; the farther it goes, the more the light changes.

Take the quiz →

Examples

  1. When you look at a sunset on a clear day, it looks bright orange.
  2. If there's smoke in the air from a fire, sunsets can be more vivid red or purple.
  3. A cloudy evening might make the sky appear pinker than usual.

Ask a question

See also

Discussion

Recent activity