Why do clouds appear pink and purple at sunrise/sunset?
Sunlight as it travels through the atmosphere is disbursed some color wise as it does. Most of the short-wave energy is absorbed by the denser surface layers of the atmosphere rather than that of the upper-altitudes As the sun sets or rises it has to travel further through the atmosphere and closer to the surface layers where the sun is at an altitude closer to the horizon than when it is in the mid=day period. Thusly the blue, green, and some yellows are absorbed by the atmosphere giving a different color to the sun. In addition to this cloud decks are not “at the same level”. As you go higher in the atmosphere from the ground you see different phase of the sunset. The higher you go the later the sun sets. Also, the higher you go the more differential to the oranges and yellows of light absorption you see with height because of the particulate matter and pollution nearest the surface where we are. With that you get a slightly different color affect with height. This affects the “effec
