Scarlet Sunset
September 04, 2009
Photographer: Jennifer Palmer
Summary Author: Jennifer Palmer; Jim Foster
The photo above of a ravishing, scarlet sunset was captured on December 7, 2008 near Paducah, Kentucky. I was on my way home and just had to stop the car to get out and take a picture. The increased path length of light when the Sun is close to the horizon at either dawn or dusk may result in rich twilight colors but only if clouds or particulate matter such as aerosols are present. Clean air yields little color. Note the contrail at right center through a break in the clouds.