Purple lights — what is it?

Winter brings many interesting optical phenomena. This professional language is called purple glow. It is well studied and fairly widespread, although rarely intense.

Once saturated pink sunset alarmed Moscow in January 2010. Then meteorologists had to reassure the capital's residents, explaining that it was not related to toxic industrial emissions, but is solely a game of sunlight scattered by the atmosphere and repeatedly reflected in the snow crystals.

Purple dawn is more rare. It occurs when the Sun is still below the horizon below 4 degrees, the air is frosty, filled with ice crystals, and around snow. The duration of the phenomenon is 20-30 minutes. The intensity of the purple glow increases with the transparency of the air and increasing altitude of observation. That day you can see the classic purple sunset, pronounced due to low temperatures and adequate moisture. In addition, this effect is widely spread due to multiple reflection of light from physocological clouds, falling snow and snow cover.

Translated by «Yandex.Translator»