Do You Believe in the Green Flash?

One ritual that first-time offshore sailors are often encouraged to participate in is trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious green flash, which, they are told, sometimes appears on the horizon just after the sun sets on an exceptionally clear horizon — or just before sunrise. 

Try as they might, though, many sailors never have any luck observing one, and eventually conclude that ‘flash’ hunting is a fool’s errand — about as likely to be seen as the Comet Kohoutek. But we can testify that green flashes really do happen, although only for a second or two when conditions are just right. They’re not optical illusions, but real phenomena that occur, we’re told, because Earth’s atmosphere separates the sun’s light into different colors. 

You can observe them at any latitude, although their appearance is likely to be quicker the closer you are to the equator. And you can observe them from any altitude. Pilots often see them from high altitudes, especially when heading west toward the setting sun. If you’ve never been lucky enough to see a green flash, don’t give up. Perhaps you just need to do more offshore sailing.