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Credit & Copyright: J. C. Casado
Explanation:
Many think it is just a myth.
Others think it is true but its cause isn't known.
Adventurers pride themselves on having seen it. It's a green flash from the
Sun.
The truth is the
green flash does exist and its cause is well understood.
Just as the setting
Sun disappears completely from view,
a last glimmer appears startlingly green.
The effect is typically visible only from locations with a low,
distant horizon, and lasts just a few seconds. A
green flash is also visible for a rising
Sun, but takes better timing to spot.
A slight variant of this was caught in the above photograph,
where much of the
Sun was still visible,
but the very top appeared momentarily green. The
Sun itself does not turn
partly green, the effect is caused by layers of the
Earth's atmosphere acting like a prism.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Sun - green flash
Publications with words: Sun - green flash
See also:
- APOD: 2024 September 2 Á A Triangular Prominence Hovers Over the Sun
- APOD: 2024 August 18 Á A Solar Prominence Eruption from SDO
- APOD: 2024 August 4 Á Gaia: Here Comes the Sun
- APOD: 2024 July 28 Á Sun Dance
- Prominences and Filaments on the Active Sun
- APOD: 2024 May 28 Á Solar X Flare as Famous Active Region Returns
- APOD: 2024 May 26 Á A Solar Filament Erupts