These are the most beautiful weather photos: a photo of Zoetermeer with a beautiful red-pink sky in the background. Ever wondered how such a colorful picture is created? Time for a geography lesson.
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Sunlight is naturally white, says meteorologist Jaco van Wezel on Weatheronline† The white sunlight is only decomposed into different colors during its route to Earth in the atmosphere by small air molecules, dust particles, water droplets and ice crystals. Not white, but colors like blue, orange, yellow, pink and red.
Blue sky
When it’s a sunny day in Zoetermeer, the sky is blue. Even though the atmosphere spreads different colors, we see a blue sky. How is that possible? “Blue light is more easily scattered in our direction than red light. This means that more blue light comes to our eyes,” the meteorologist explains to Weeronline.
Colorful skies at sunrise and sunset
With sunrise and sunset it’s a different story. The rays of the low-lying sun have to travel an extra long way through the atmosphere. Once the light has reached us, so much blue light has already been scattered that it is simply gone. Other colors are given free rein: first a golden yellow color, later red.
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Different every day
At no sunrise or sunset the color of the sky is the same. Jaco explains: “The amount of water droplets, ice crystals and dust particles in the air determine how strongly the sunlight is scattered. Is the air dry, crystal clear and clean? Then you often only see a yellow-orange or orange-red glow around the sun.” So the color depends on that. Smoke from large forest fires or Sahara sand can also cause discoloration in the morning and evening. Whatever the cause, it’s beautiful to look at.