The Green Ray seen in California (NASA image)
Let's delve into the fascinating phenomenon of the green ray, both from a scientific perspective and its captivating role in literature, particularly in Jules Verne's novel, Le Rayon vert. The Green Ray: Physics Explained The green ray, also known as the "green flash," is a rare optical phenomenon that can occur at sunrise or sunset. It's not a single ray, but rather a brief flash of green light that appears just as the last sliver of the sun disappears below the horizon or as the first sliver appears above it. Here's a breakdown of the physics involved: Atmospheric Refraction: The Earth's atmosphere acts like a prism, bending or refracting light. Different colors of light bend at different angles, with blue light bending more and red light bending less. This is why we see rainbows. Scattering: The atmosphere also scatters light, particularly blue light, which is why the sky is blue. Atmospheric Layers: The atmosphere is not uniform in density. It's ...