Spotting the Green Flash at Sunset

On any given evening in San Diego, head to one of the area's beaches and observe the habitual ritual of people watching the sunset.

Have you ever wondered, why are they all pointing in the same direction, not talking, and just looking at the sun as it sets? Because, for the most part, they have made a wish, and are waiting to see if they see The Green Flash. The common belief is that if they see The Green Flash, their wish will come true.

The name comes from Jules Verne's 1882 novel "Le Rayon Vert" (The Green Ray) which actually popularized The Green Flash. In his novel, Verne described it as "a green which no artist could ever obtain on his palette, a green of which neither the varied tints of vegetation nor the shades of the most limpid sea could ever produce the like!

If there is a green in Paradise, it cannot be but of this shade, which most surely is the true green of Hope."

The Green Flash is not an optical illusion. There are various scientific explanations for The Green Flash. Basically, when the sun sets, sometimes the last bit of light from the disk itself is an emerald green. The same is true of the first bit of light from the rising sun. The word "flash" refers to the sudden appearance and brief duration of this green color, which usually lasts only a second or two.

Believe it or not, The Green Flash is common and is visible any time the sun rises or sets on a clear, unobstructed, and low horizon. A low horizon can mean the ocean, the top of a mountain, or even a tall building in a flat region. Dr. Andrew Young, an Adjunct Faculty member of the Department of Astronomy at San Diego State University and a world-renowned expert of The Green Flash, has heard that observations of Green Flashes are regularly seen from the Empire State Building in Manhattan!

We cannot emphasize how important it that the air must be reasonably clear air. If the weather conditions are foggy, don't even bother trying to see the sunset or The Green Flash. The reason why it won't work is that the fuzzy visual conditions won't allow enough green light to be transmitted at the horizon for you to see The Green Flash.

If you have been staring at sunsets for years and have never seen The Green Flash, consider adding a visual aid to your repertoire of gadgets. Bring a pair of binoculars, or field glasses, or even opera glasses with you to the beach. The magnification might help you see The Green Flash a little easier.

We wish you luck the next time you go down to one of the beach in San Diego to catch a sunset, make a wish, and have it granted when you see The Green Flash.