Green Flash
The green flash is a brief burst of green light seen at the top edge of the sun at sunrise or sunset — genuine optics, not a sailor's legend.
Full definition of Green Flash →:: COMPARE ::
Green flashvsBlue flash
The short answer
Violet and blue are refracted even more than green, so by rights they should win. They lose to atmospheric extinction — over the long horizon path, scattering removes the shortest wavelengths almost completely, leaving green as the last colour standing.
Side by side
| Aspect | Green flash | Blue flash |
|---|---|---|
| Refracted | Strongly | More strongly |
| Survives the path | Yes | Mostly scattered |
| Commonly seen | Yes | Rarely |
| Why | Last colour left | Removed en route |
What each one means
Blue flash
The contrast above sets out how Blue flash differs from Green Flash on the points that actually matter.