Is Last Night's Sunset a Sign of the Green Flash Phenomenon?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the observation of a sunset and the potential occurrence of the green flash phenomenon. Participants share their experiences and observations related to the sunset, including visual details and environmental conditions. The conversation touches on the effects of air pollution on visibility and the use of photography to capture such phenomena.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant describes a particularly bright and beautiful sunset, suggesting it may be the start of a green flash.
  • Another participant inquires about the location of the observation and notes similarities in weather conditions, mentioning the solstice.
  • A participant shares details about the location of the sunset, mentioning the use of a standard camera without special processing, and observes that the green flash was more visible to the naked eye.
  • There is a discussion about the impact of air pollution on visibility, with one participant noting improvements in clarity over the past decades.
  • Questions arise about the presence of a body of water in the direction of the sunset, which is confirmed to be the North Sea.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express curiosity about the green flash phenomenon and share observations, but there is no consensus on whether the observed sunset qualifies as a green flash. The discussion remains exploratory with multiple viewpoints presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention the influence of camera settings and air pollution on visibility, which may affect the interpretation of the sunset and the green flash phenomenon.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in atmospheric phenomena, photography, and environmental changes related to air quality may find this discussion relevant.

Andre
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Last night we had the most bright and beautiful sunset I ever saw

2m6tqir.jpg


look at the color of the clouds

2rhy6oh.jpg


The start of a green flash?

1m7p1.jpg


And later in the evening:

207t3xl.jpg



2j336dl.jpg
 
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Beautiful ..

Whereabouts Andre ?

The weather looks mighty similar to here in Auckland tonight and last evening also .
And it is ~solstice~ +- too

I know there are some cool effects that cameras can achieve now with maxing contrast settings etc to pick up spectra ..

was it clearly visible as well as on the camera image ?

Straight away i thought of Pirates of the Carribean - Worlds end .. whee they had to get lost to find what could not be found .. ahhhha
https://www.physicsforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=16931&d=1229943136
 
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thaddeus said:
Beautiful ..

Whereabouts Andre ?

Pictures were taken from the 14th story of an appartment building in Zoetermeer The Netherlands. The city at the horizon is The Hague.

I know there are some cool effects that cameras can achieve now with maxing contrast settings etc to pick up spectra ..

was it clearly visible as well as on the camera image ?

Actually the green seemed to be better visible with the naked eye. I did not process anything, standard camera default settings. Canon 450D with 70-300mm IS USM in various settings (hand held). You can judge the auto white balance to the lights in the last picture. Also you can see reflections of the window near the sun

edit, finally, this extreme visibilty here would be unthinkable some 20-30 years ago due to air pollution. It looks like we are looking at some success here for pollution control, since it's getting more and more common to have a clear vision on the horizon
 
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is there a body of water in that direction?
 
Proton Soup said:
is there a body of water in that direction?

Yes, the North Sea
 
that would be my guess, then.
 

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