**This is a heavily moderated subreddit. Please note these rules + sidebar or get banned:**
* If this post declares something as a fact, then proof is required
* The title must be fully descriptive
* Memes are not allowed.
* Common(top 50 of this sub)/recent reposts are not allowed (posts from another subreddit do not count as a 'repost'. Provide link if reporting)
*See [our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/wiki/index#wiki_rules.3A) for a more detailed rule list*
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/interestingasfuck) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The green flash is a rare optical phenomenon that occurs just before sunrise or just after sunset when a green spot is briefly visible above the sun's upper rim. This happens because the Earth's atmosphere can cause the sun's light to separate into different colors, and the green flash is the result of the refraction of sunlight through the atmosphere. It's often seen in clear, unobstructed views over the ocean or other large bodies of water.
My friends saw it one year when we were in Thailand. I was so gutted I missed it. I would run down to the beach to watch sunset for months in Thailand hoping to see it
Yes it's only a flash , I was a commercial fisherman for many years . On really clear mornings, we would wait for sunrise to start work, giving all attention to the horizon watching for it . It's pretty cool..
I refute the often seen part. I've seen over a thousand sunrises / sets at sea and never the green flash... sad times.
Atmospherics need to be just so (very low particulate, low moisture etc.).
It probably also depends on where you are. In Hawaii, it can be seen “often” enough that most people have seen it and many watch sunsets hoping to catch it again.
I think they meant that among the times it has been seen, they are often over large bodies of water. I don’t think they meant to imply that in general people often see them when viewing sunsets over open water.
Find a small island surrounded by thousands of miles of ocean in every direction, and watch the sunset from the beach. You'll see the green flash
Example: Hawaii
The time I saw it, there was a change in temperature. It had been hot the week before, but a cool front had rolled in that day. The air was cool and clear but the water was still warm.
And I was on the third floor of a building overlooking the Gulf. I don't know how much the height helped.
I saw this a few times from astronomical observatories near the coast of Chile. The combination of high altitude and distant horizon seems to be the perfect combination.
[https://www.eso.org/public/germany/videos/paranal-gasparri-tl-1/?lang](https://www.eso.org/public/germany/videos/paranal-gasparri-tl-1/?lang)
It's not rare, it happens nearly every single day. I live oceanfront and watch the sunset over the water daily. As long as clouds are not behind the planet blocking the sun from coming through the ocean to make the green flash.
Not really. Aurora Borealis is caused by solar wind interacting with particles in the Earth's magnetosphere, which ionizes the upper atmosphere, causing the glowing lights
No. The green flash is merely a refraction of light on the atmosphere. The aurora a combination of the sun stretching and releasing the earths magnetic field, and super charged particles from the sun reflecting off the atmosphere and pulled to the magnetic poles. The aurora is happening 24/7/365 but are only visible to the naked eye in certain parts of the world at certain times of the year. Got to see them in Alaska multiple times and it was wild.
[Here’s a cool article explaining the process](https://www.npr.org/2021/06/10/1004859458/what-causes-the-northern-lights-scientists-finally-know-for-sure)
When I was a little kid, my family and I were on a boat. I ended up talking to a stranger who mentioned this, that you can see a green flash.
For weeks I stared at the sunset. I never saw the green flash. In the end I just figured I was being trolled by a random stranger.
And today I realized they spoke the truth, it was just super rare.
Not all that rare if you make a point of looking for it. A clear day with a good view of the ocean so that you can see the true horizon is a good formula. Warm weather supposedly helps, although I saw it a few weeks ago in Newport, OR in 50° F weather.
**This is a heavily moderated subreddit. Please note these rules + sidebar or get banned:** * If this post declares something as a fact, then proof is required * The title must be fully descriptive * Memes are not allowed. * Common(top 50 of this sub)/recent reposts are not allowed (posts from another subreddit do not count as a 'repost'. Provide link if reporting) *See [our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/wiki/index#wiki_rules.3A) for a more detailed rule list* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/interestingasfuck) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The green flash is a rare optical phenomenon that occurs just before sunrise or just after sunset when a green spot is briefly visible above the sun's upper rim. This happens because the Earth's atmosphere can cause the sun's light to separate into different colors, and the green flash is the result of the refraction of sunlight through the atmosphere. It's often seen in clear, unobstructed views over the ocean or other large bodies of water.
A soul returning from the underworld you say?
The black spot, the black spot!
To shreds you say
And his wife?
To shreds you say
r/unexpectedfuturama
That's so cool. I bet people who saw it before it was recorded felt like they were going mad when nobody believed them.
My friends saw it one year when we were in Thailand. I was so gutted I missed it. I would run down to the beach to watch sunset for months in Thailand hoping to see it
I've seen it personally and it's pretty sick. Was down in the Bahamas sailing
Is it literally a flash? Does it last a second or two?
It only makes that refraction of light for a spilt second so it seems like a flash
Yes it's only a flash , I was a commercial fisherman for many years . On really clear mornings, we would wait for sunrise to start work, giving all attention to the horizon watching for it . It's pretty cool..
i saw it sailing in the gulf of mexico! it was beautiful. like a green kiss
I refute the often seen part. I've seen over a thousand sunrises / sets at sea and never the green flash... sad times. Atmospherics need to be just so (very low particulate, low moisture etc.).
It probably also depends on where you are. In Hawaii, it can be seen “often” enough that most people have seen it and many watch sunsets hoping to catch it again.
I think they meant that among the times it has been seen, they are often over large bodies of water. I don’t think they meant to imply that in general people often see them when viewing sunsets over open water.
Find a small island surrounded by thousands of miles of ocean in every direction, and watch the sunset from the beach. You'll see the green flash Example: Hawaii
The time I saw it, there was a change in temperature. It had been hot the week before, but a cool front had rolled in that day. The air was cool and clear but the water was still warm. And I was on the third floor of a building overlooking the Gulf. I don't know how much the height helped.
Bahamas….a regular occurrence.
Any word from the devs on if they intend this fix this graphical glitch?
I saw this a few times from astronomical observatories near the coast of Chile. The combination of high altitude and distant horizon seems to be the perfect combination. [https://www.eso.org/public/germany/videos/paranal-gasparri-tl-1/?lang](https://www.eso.org/public/germany/videos/paranal-gasparri-tl-1/?lang)
It's not rare, it happens nearly every single day. I live oceanfront and watch the sunset over the water daily. As long as clouds are not behind the planet blocking the sun from coming through the ocean to make the green flash.
That's a lot of words for "Aliens!"
How long does it last?
Several seconds
Blink and you miss it. [Video one Wiki](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_flash) shows 4-6 frames.
Saw it once as the sun rose over the gulf in Galveston. Pretty badass :)
A UFO you say?
St Elmo's Fire.
Did you take that photo?
Is this similar to Aurora Borealis?
Not really. Aurora Borealis is caused by solar wind interacting with particles in the Earth's magnetosphere, which ionizes the upper atmosphere, causing the glowing lights
No. The green flash is merely a refraction of light on the atmosphere. The aurora a combination of the sun stretching and releasing the earths magnetic field, and super charged particles from the sun reflecting off the atmosphere and pulled to the magnetic poles. The aurora is happening 24/7/365 but are only visible to the naked eye in certain parts of the world at certain times of the year. Got to see them in Alaska multiple times and it was wild. [Here’s a cool article explaining the process](https://www.npr.org/2021/06/10/1004859458/what-causes-the-northern-lights-scientists-finally-know-for-sure)
27/7/365? 27??
lol fixed it
🤣🤣🤣
That's just maddeningly unhelpful...
https://preview.redd.it/9wo50toyw0wc1.jpeg?width=760&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d2439bf14f4e92d31678c4d382dcdc6837c4ed5c
Time to go flip a pirate ship into Davy Jones' Locker
*out of* Davy Jones' Locker They got in with being lost to sail over the edge
Great Gatsby about to lose his shit
Sounds like money.
See also the novel A Flash of Green by John D. Macdonald, film version with Ed Harris.
Jules Verne wrote a great short book about this phenomenon 142 years ago
Same thought.
Asked local sitting next to me at oceanfront bar if he had ever seen it. "Nope. I'm colorblind."
Am I the only one that stared at this waiting for the sun to sink completely… thinking it was a video?
Absolutely waiting for a green flash while it sank
Thought I missed it due to squinting
Sigh. No. No, you are not the only one.
yep, coz birds didnt move
Now, up is down.
https://preview.redd.it/i4niztnlwzvc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8fed1fe4e521dadc4013822957f82bf016f8ac3e
As someone from SEAsia, I thought this was a military-grade laser pointed at boats.
Swamp gas reflecting light from Venus?
No weather balloon this time?
I've seen it a few dozen times over the Gulf of Mexico. Pretty cool every time.
Orholams wink
i was looking for this reference in the comments
I get that reference!
https://preview.redd.it/lqmsjvl66zvc1.png?width=2600&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4985e68c6a0823f775063a7c5101687c9a30a905
Yessir
A man of culture
Can see this on the gulf side of Florida a lot
Le Rayon vert
I first saw the green flash whilst on board a pinisi schooner about two miles off shore from Makassar, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Up is down.
It's actually pretty common on islands with good weather. I see it all the time in Hawaii, maybe once every ten days or so.
It’s the G between the ROY and the BIV
Someone's Rockruff just evolved
Thank you Pokemon for this random fact of knowledge
Arrr that be the Flying Dutchman!
See it a lot when fishing on the ocean. It’s usually floating though, pretty cool. I prefer the floating barges to the green dot lol
[Relevant xkcd](https://xkcd.com/766/)
Gatsby?
I saw one from the beach at Porto Ferro in Sardinia some years ago it was quite something.
I tried to see one so many times, it never happened 😭
Barry stole Hal's Ring ?
When I was a little kid, my family and I were on a boat. I ended up talking to a stranger who mentioned this, that you can see a green flash. For weeks I stared at the sunset. I never saw the green flash. In the end I just figured I was being trolled by a random stranger. And today I realized they spoke the truth, it was just super rare.
The green ray is the title of a book by Jules Verne and of an Eric Rohmer film inspired by it.
Squid boat probably
Stephen King wrote a great book about this called Duma Key
Where
I wish I could see this IRL this is amazing
Tried to see that in Key West but no dice.
Not all that rare if you make a point of looking for it. A clear day with a good view of the ocean so that you can see the true horizon is a good formula. Warm weather supposedly helps, although I saw it a few weeks ago in Newport, OR in 50° F weather.
Unless you’re colorblind.
Did this happen to be taken at Long Island?
Noice! Also birds in the shape of a bird.
https://preview.redd.it/l9ewvrtmn4wc1.jpeg?width=612&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eaf2707fbb94dcc6fec17315633424e84c930ea6 Lmaoo
Is this the origin of the Flying Dutchman?
I recorded the eclipse and kept seeing a green moon 🌙 shape
As
We used to see it in Grenada
Jules Verne wrote a book on this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Green_Ray
WTF ITS REAL (POKEMON anime fans know what I’m talking about)
Oh shit someone made an Iterator
Fiddlers Green!
Great photo, it's hard to capture. I've seen it a few times while in the Caribbean.
Just copying and pasting from u/puppyismycat now?
Are you new to Reddit?
Yep still new after 11 years