The phenomenon of the Sun appearing red, especially during sunrise or sunset, is primarily due to the scattering of sunlight in the Earth's atmosphere. When the Sun is near the horizon, its light has to pass through a thicker layer of the atmosphere compared to when it's directly overhead.
Here's why the Sun can appear red:
1. **Scattering of Light:** The Earth's atmosphere scatters sunlight. During sunset or sunrise, the sunlight has to travel through a larger portion of the Earth's atmosphere, particularly through the lower layers. This increased path length leads to more scattering of shorter-wavelength blue and green light.
2. **Red and Orange Dominance:** As shorter-wavelength blue and green light scatters more, the longer-wavelength red and orange light tends to dominate. This is because red and orange light is scattered less and can pass through the atmosphere more effectively during these times.
3. **Atmospheric Conditions:** The presence of particles, such as dust, pollutants, or even natural particles like water droplets or ice crystals in the atmosphere, can enhance the scattering effect and contribute to the Sun appearing more vividly red.
In the case you observed in Mansehra, local atmospheric conditions, such as the presence of dust or other particles, might have played a role in intensifying the red appearance of the Sun. This atmospheric phenomenon is often observed in various locations and is a result of the interplay between sunlight and the Earth's atmosphere during specific times of the day.
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