CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Have you noticed how the sky seems brighter and more colorful once summer ends? It’s not your imagination. Fall brings some of the most breathtaking sunrises and sunsets of the year — and there’s science behind the spectacle.

Just like the leaves on the trees turn bright and beautiful in autumn, the sky’s colors become more vibrant too. But why do sunsets and sunrises look so much brighter this time of year?

Let’s break it down.

Blue light has a short wavelength, which is scattered more easily in the atmosphere . That’s why our sky appears blue during the day. But when the sun is lower on the horizon — like at sunset — those short blue waves scatter away, leaving the longer wavelengths — reds, oranges, and pinks — to reach our eyes.

Clouds can also scatter and reflect

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