How does sunset work?

Sunset occurs when the sun appears to descend below the horizon, transitioning from its position above the observer to being hidden from view. The phenomenon of sunset is primarily due to the Earth's rotation on its axis. As the Earth rotates, different parts of its surface are exposed to the sun's light at varying angles. During sunset, the observer's location on the Earth's surface rotates away from the direct line of sight with the sun. This means that the sun's rays have to pass through a larger portion of the Earth's atmosphere to reach the observer. As sunlight travels through the Earth's atmosphere during sunset, it encounters more molecules and particles in the atmosphere compared to when the sun is higher in the sky. This increased path length leads to greater scattering of shorter wavelength light (blue and green), which is why the sky often appears to have shades of red, orange, and pink during sunset. The longer wavelength red and orange light is less affected by scattering and can reach our eyes more directly, resulting in the warm hues we associate with sunset. Additionally, the Earth's atmosphere acts as a sort of optical filter during sunset. The atmosphere selectively scatters shorter wavelengths of light, such as blue and green, while allowing longer wavelengths, like red and orange, to pass through with less scattering. This further enhances the red and orange tones observed during sunset. The appearance of the sky during sunset can also be influenced by other factors, such as the presence of clouds, dust, pollutants, and other particles in the atmosphere. These particles can scatter and diffuse sunlight, creating unique patterns and intensifying or altering the colors of the sunset. Overall, sunset is a beautiful natural phenomenon that occurs due to the rotation of the Earth, the scattering of sunlight in the atmosphere, and the filtering of different wavelengths of light. It provides us with stunning displays of colors and a sense of transition between day and night.