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APOD
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
A Green Flash from the Sun
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 dramatic green flash was caught in the above photograph in 1992 from Finland . The Sun itself does not turn partly green, the effect is caused by layers of the Earth's atmosphere acting like a prism .
| Date | November 10, 2002 |
|---|---|
| Credit | Credit & Copyright: Pekka Parviainen ( Polar Image ) |
| Authors & editors: | Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP) |
| A service of: |
ASD at NASA / GSFC, NASA Science Activation & Michigan Tech. U. |