by APOD Robot » Tue Sep 08, 2015 4:11 am
Distorted Green Flash Sunset over Italy
Explanation: This was one strange sunset. For one thing, the
typically round Sun appeared distorted, geometrically, and
multiply layered. For another, some of these layers appeared unusually green. The
Sun, of course, was just fine -- its odd appearance was caused entirely by its
light refracting in the Earth's atmosphere. When layers of the Earth's atmosphere are unusually warm, layers of the Sun may
appear distorted or even seen multiple times. The effect is most
strong nearest sunrise and sunset when terrestrial
inversion layers occupy distinct
altitudes above the horizon.
Different colors of the Sun may also become deflected by significantly different amounts, so that the uppermost
superior image may appear
momentarily green -- a phenomenon known as a
green flash. The featured image was taken in February from
Porto Venere,
Italy, with
San Pietro church situated in the foreground.
[/b]
[url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150908.html][img]http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/S_150908.jpg[/img] [size=150]Distorted Green Flash Sunset over Italy[/size][/url]
[b] Explanation: [/b] This was one strange sunset. For one thing, the [url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150430.html]typically round Sun[/url] appeared distorted, geometrically, and [url=http://cutearoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Kitten5.jpg]multiply layered[/url]. For another, some of these layers appeared unusually green. The [url=http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/sunfact.html]Sun[/url], of course, was just fine -- its odd appearance was caused entirely by its [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD1544bM_c4]light refracting[/url] in the Earth's atmosphere. When layers of the Earth's atmosphere are unusually warm, layers of the Sun may [url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap980526.html]appear distorted[/url] or even seen multiple times. The effect is most [url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090223.html]strong nearest sunrise and sunset[/url] when terrestrial [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inversion_(meteorology)]inversion layers[/url] occupy distinct [url=http://www.astro.cornell.edu/academics/courses/astro201/alt_az.htm]altitudes[/url] above the horizon. [url=http://www.webexhibits.org/colorart/bh.html]Different colors[/url] of the Sun may also become deflected by significantly different amounts, so that the uppermost [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage#Superior_mirage]superior image[/url] may appear [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwus2nqU0SY]momentarily green[/url] -- a phenomenon known as a [url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140604.html]green flash[/url]. The featured image was taken in February from [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT37TCDOmYk]Porto Venere[/url], [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italy]Italy[/url], with [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St._Peter_(Portovenere)]San Pietro church[/url] situated in the foreground.
[b][table][tr][td=left][url=http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=150907]<< Previous APOD[/url][/td] [td=center][url=http://asterisk.apod.com/view_retro.php?date=0908]This Day in APOD[/url][/td] [td=right][url=http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=150909]Next APOD >>[/url][/td][/tr][/table][/b]