Australian Esoteric Australian Esoteric Issue 4 | Page 14

over the ocean, and are more likely to be
seen in a still, clear sky when more of the
light from the setting Sun reaches the
observer without being scattered - in other
words, what might be called an
‘uneventful’ Sunset. It might be expected
that a blue flash would be more likely,
since that is refracted more than the other
colours, and the blue component of the
Sun's light is the very last to disappear
below the horizon - but it gets scattered
and absorbed by dust particles and gas
molecules in the atmosphere, which are
more prevalent in the evening. So the
remaining light ends up being what is left
at the other end of the spectrum – yellow,
orange and red. With slight magnification,
a green rim on the top of the solar disc
may be seen on most clear-day Sunsets,
although the flash or ray effects require a
stronger layering of the atmosphere and a
mirage, which serves to magnify the green
from a fraction of a second to a couple of
seconds. A Green Flash may also be
observed in association with the Moon and
bright planets at the horizon, including
Venus and Jupiter.
We humans have a stronger
affiliation with the Sun than we are aware
of, or remember, in these modern times.
Renewing our relationship with it can be
both revealing and rewarding.
Credits for images in this section:
Top Left: (Human Eye) http://img.wikinut.com/img/1viactnhuvtsxjvf/jpeg/724x5000/Human-Eye.jpeg
Top Right: (Eye of the Sun) http://ep.yimg.com/ay/skyimage/eye-of-the-sun-1.jpg
Bottom: http://cdn.fiboni.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/green-flash03.jpg?a0f395
FOOTNOTES appear on the last page of this issue