BEIJING: Residents in China were amazed as the sky suddenly turned pink just before it started to rain, in a stunning and rare phenomenon that soon garnered attention.
According to reports in foreign media, the phenomenon was observed in Changzhou, where the sky remained pink for around seven to eight minutes before the rain.
Experts attributed the unusual colour to the scattering of light by tiny particles in the atmosphere. They explained that when the sun is close to the horizon, its light has to travel through a thicker layer of the atmosphere before reaching the ground.
As sunlight passes through atmospheric particles, certain wavelengths become more prominent, producing unusual shades such as pink, red and orange.
A similar phenomenon was recently reported in Venezuela, where the sky turned a deep red following a powerful earthquake. Images and videos of the unusual sight went viral on social media, prompting some people to speculate that it could be a sign of another disaster.
Experts, however, dismissed such concerns and explained that the red sky was a natural atmospheric phenomenon locally known as “Crespúsculo” or “Candelazo.” The effect occurs when sunlight interacts with dust, fine particles and, in some cases, desert dust in the atmosphere.
Scientists say the scattering of light known as Rayleigh scattering can make red and orange wavelengths more visible, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
Experts have also stressed that there is no established scientific evidence linking unusual red or pink skies to earthquakes or other natural disasters.
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