After Belize was given the “All Clear” of Hurricane Rina she left us with one good thing – a spectacular sunset. With clouds blanketing the sky and the setting sun shining through the perfect atmospheric conditions the clouds and sky glowed in purple.
It was the perfect ending to a strenuous day of worrying about Hurricane Rina. Those who were able to witness the sunset were amazed at the beautiful colors in the sky, unlike any other – very rare. So we share with you a short video clip panning the skies of San Pedro Town. Sunset October 26, 2011
Why was sunset purple? Here is what one web expert explains it.
In the evening, when the Sun is low in the sky, its light has more atmosphere to get through before it reaches you, and so the effect described above is more pronounced. In fact, more of the orangey-yellowy light gets scattered on this extended journey, meaning that the sun appears redder than it usually does higher up in the sky.
This red light, low down in the sky, given the right conditions, can reflect off aerosols high in the atmosphere. The resultant red glow mixes with the scattered blue light, creating beautiful purple sunsets just like this one.
Click here for more pictures of the purple sky sunset by Jose Luis Zapata
