Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder… of a New Mexico Sunset
A New Mexico sunset is not a sight to be quickly forgotten. This is true if you enjoy them every day as a resident of this beautiful state. It is just as true if you are a visitor, experiencing the soul stirring beauty of a New Mexico sunset for the first time in your life. As a visitor, you’ll find it more than a sight for sore eyes, but a sight to return for. If you ever wondered why so many people visit this state as a frequent part of their vacation lifestyle, your first eyeful of a sunset sky is the most inspiring of explanations. We witness the great beauty of a sunset sky so many times in our lives. Those who are luckiest among us will get the experience of a colorful New Mexico evening light. But what causes that beautiful, colorful brilliance that we find so deeply moving?
For the answers to that question, we look to the far away University of Wisconsin’s professor of meteorology, Steve Ackerman. He offers a scientific explanation for the phenomenon of the sunset and beautiful sky colors. To begin with, we must understand why the sky is blue. The answer is that the sky is not really blue. We perceive a blue sky as we perceive all colors, based on which light ray particles are spread on the molecules of the air and reflected back to us. Blue and violet scatter more easily than other light wavelengths because they are shorter. Yet, our eyes are better at perceiving the blue, so we don’t always get the violet hue.
What Phenomenon is Responsible for the Sunset Red and Orange?
As the sun sets and gets closer to the horizon, it is also passing through more air than it does at other parts of the day. This causes an increase in the scattering of molecules, and the blue and violet wavelengths start to scatter away. The longer the path of the light particles through the air particles, the less blue and violet light reaches your eyes. Thus, more of the other colors can reach you, becoming brilliantly visible in oranges, yellows, and reds. Any blue and violet colors that you see are further away. You may briefly perceive violet more easily as the blue scatters away from your eyes more quickly.
Closer to the sun, you get to witness a variety of colors that you don’t perceive during the day. By the time the sun reaches the horizon, the red wavelengths are most visible. The path of the waves to your eyes is at its longest. All other colors are scattering away, being blocked by the air molecules and atmosphere of Earth. And that is why beauty is in the eye of the beholder of a New Mexico sunset.
