Pink Sunset from the Bridge

I am ending this month with the most amazing sunset.  The kind you only see on a rare fall day here in the north-east.  Read on to find out what makes it pink!

Why is the sky pink?

Here is the scientific explanation.  First of all light is comprised of the full spectrum of rainbow colors and each color has a wave length.  The blue and violet wave lengths are shorted than the yellows and reds.  Air likes to scatter the light waves and it start with the easier shorter ones of blue and violet.  Therefore the scattered blue and violet light appear in the closest skies where it’s daylight.  Our eyes have a harder time seeing the violet so we perceive a blue sky.  After the air molecules have used up the blue and violet they get to work on the longer more difficult light spectrum waves of yellow and red.  Since it takes the air longer to get around to scattering the yellow and red they appear over the more distant skies or the sunrise/sunset areas.  The reds appear pink in MY sunset because of dust and haze (ahem air-pollution).  In general more vivid sunsets happen in the fall and winter because the air is overall cleaner than in summer due to better circulation.  And finally the clouds enhance the sunset by reflecting the colors.  Pretty ain’t it!

Source: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/publications/corfidi/sunset/

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