Sunsets are a thing of beauty… Even your, everyday, ho-hum sunset.., is a sight to be seen. They have a way of.., just stopping time… Transporting you to somewhere, far off… Replacing the daily grind, with a brief moment of clarity. And they do this, all over the world, at a certain time, everyday. Yes, everyday, they grace us, with their presence.., and their magic.
Im a New Yorker.., and as such, it is pretty easy, here in the City, to not pay too much attention to sunsets -- always rushing around, bumping into people with their heads buried in their smartphones, dodging taxi cabs… All kinds of reasons, to never give a sunset a second glance… But, if you are lucky enough.., to look up, at a certain time of day, and catch one of these things of beauty -- it will stop you in your tracks.
One thing we do have here in Manhattan, which is quite the phenomenon.., is Manhattanhenge… This is when the setting Sun aligns precisely with the Manhattan street grid, creating a radiant glow of light across Manhattan's brick and steel canyons, simultaneously illuminating both the north and south sides of every cross street of the grid, creating a surreal sunset. A rare and beautiful sight, only occurring twice per year.
It was much of the same, when I lived in Los Angeles… Driving from Malibu into LA, along highway 1 (PCH), can be quite long slow slog, in the middle of rush hour. But to my surprise, instead of honking their horns, getting frustrated at the amount of traffic.., as is most driver's first reaction… What I noticed, very early on, in my time spent out west -- people pulling off the road on to the shoulder, a little alcove carved in the side of the road… Getting out of their cars, whether it be a fancy porsche or beat-up olds -- getting out, abandoning their daily trek.., and staring out over the ocean, soaking in another stunning, postcard-esque sunset. Admiring, the beauty.., the peace it is able to instill…
Happiness is a Swedish sunset; it is there for all, but most of us look the other way and lose it. -- Mark Twain
I was always told that those really pretty sunsets, with colors you never imagined.., were caused by nasty pollution, aerosols and even gas fumes from the local airports. It seemed, like common knowledge, that the nastiest of elements were the cause of such magnificence. It's amazing what us humans will believe when something is said with a certain confidence… But it never sat quite right with me -- it never, really.., rang true. And with a little digging, some poking around… What I found, to my utter joy was, this is just a myth.
For those glorious, elegant colors in the sky… Are only dulled or hidden by these dirty little askewed facts of pure fiction… It is only in the cleanest of air, the purity of the sky, can these beauties from the heavens, shine through…
It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream. -- Bernard Williams
You see, it's all very scientific.., and certainly beyond my grasp, as a sheer observer. But from what I can garner… It has something to do with a term called "scattering" -- the reflection or re-direction of light by small particles. And then, you take into consideration the normal spectrum of colors of sunlight -- violets and blues to oranges and reds.., add in some wavelengths and some that "scattering" effect. Also, at sunrise and sunset, sunlight takes a much longer path through the atmosphere, this results in a greater amount of violet and blue light being "scattered" and by the time reaches us, the lucky observers, it has reddened.
All very technical, like I said… But you could say -- sunsets are red because the daytime sky is blue.
Sunsets have a way of soothing our souls… Replacing doubt, with hope. They sneak-up on us everyday and grace us with their beauty.., yet we are always surprised with the glory they imbibe upon us… There is no doubt, people lead crazy, stress filled lives.., and have a million things going through their minds, at once. But, if we just take the time, to stop, look up.., and relish in the magic of what is a sunset… They have the ability to ease your weary mind and brighten the darkest of days. After all, it just takes a few minutes -- and Im sure there is one coming your way, today!
REFERENCE: The Colors of Sunset and Twilight