Green Flash

light · sky · rare sight

Happens at edges. The green flash appears right at the moment the sun dips below the horizon at sunset or pops up at sunrise, only lasting about two seconds before vanishing.

Bending light creates color. The sun's light bends as it passes through Earth's atmosphere, and different colors bend at different angles, which is why you sometimes see green at the edge instead of just yellow or orange.

Super hard to spot. You need the right weather conditions, a clear horizon, and good timing to see the green flash, which is why most people never catch it even though it's real.

Best from water. The green flash is easiest to see from the beach, mountains, or other places with a very clear horizon, because the flat view helps you see the effect better.

The ray illusion. Very rarely, the green flash looks like a green ray shooting straight up from the sun instead of just a spot, though scientists believe it's still the same bending light effect.