What happens after sunset?
7-1-09 No sunspots today – the small sunspot that was evident on June 30 has vanished. VOLCANIC SUNSETS: The plume of volcanic dust and sulfur dioxide that has caused so many pretty sunsets over the USA this week has crossed the Atlantic and reached Europe. “The purple color of the sky on June 30th was unbelievable,” says Rafael Gallego, who sends this picture from Carrin de los Cspedes, Spain: Similar reports are pouring in from France, England, Denmark, the Netherlands, Canada and many US states. Here’s what to look for: When the sun goes down, delicate ripples of white appear over the western horizon. Then, as the twilight deepens, the sky turns a lovely shade of “volcanic lavender.” The source of the phenomenon is Russia’s Sarychev Peak volcano. It erupted on June 12th, hurling massive plumes of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and other debris into the stratosphere. The white ripples that herald these sunsets are made of volcanic aerosols–a mixture of ash and sulfur compounds. Blue light sca
