The Green Flash. Yes, it is a cool name for a superhero. It’s an even cooler natural phenomenon. Thanks to one of our favorite websites, Stuff I Learned, we can learn more about this rare-but-impressive spectacle of nature.
Sunrise and Sunsets are always stunning to watch and some rare occurence during these events makes it more beauiful to watch. Yes, there is an interesting and a rare meteorological optical phenomenon called the green flash. It is a green spot or flash visible for only few seconds at the top edge of the sun during sunrise or sunset.
The green flash was much popularized after the french author Jules Verne’s novel “Le Rayon-Vert” (The Green Ray) published in 1882. Though there are myths around this, scientists have established that the green flash is indeed real, and not an optical illusion.
Jules Verne
So, What is the reason behind the green flashes? Two effects combine to yield a green flash. It is actually caused by the refraction or bending of light and then the effect is enhanced by a mirage to notice.
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