Why are sunrises and sunsets red?

We get lots of pictures sent in from all across Michiana of beautiful sunrises and sunsets throughout the year, but a question we often get as meteorologists is what creates the red-orange color we see at dawn and dusk?

Sunlight always has to pass through our atmosphere, but the time of day affects how easily those rays of light make it to us. When the sun is closer to the horizon, light waves have more atmosphere to pass through than if it were the middle of the day.

Blue or violet light have shorter wavelengths, so it is more easily scattered by air and dust particles on its journey through our atmosphere. The longer the wavelength of light, the further it can travel without being scattered.

The longest waves of visible light are red and orange lights, so those are the colors left over after the light beam’s long journey to us here in Michiana as the sun rises and sets.