Golden Valley, United States - August 26, 2024

Residents of Golden Valley were treated to a breathtaking natural spectacle on the evening of August 26, 2024, when the sky transformed into a vibrant canvas of orange hues, complemented by a striking rainbow arching over the city. The extraordinary sight was captured and shared by X user K Mac, who posted a video of the phenomenon at around 8 PM.

The unusual sky color was the result of a perfect storm of atmospheric conditions. As the sun dipped towards the horizon, its light had to traverse a thicker layer of Earth's atmosphere. This journey scatters the shorter blue and violet light wavelengths, leaving the longer, more visible red, orange, and pink wavelengths to dominate the sky.

According to meteorologists, the presence of additional particles in the atmosphere, often from storms, can amplify this scattering effect. "Storms introduce dust and water droplets into the air, which scatter sunlight even more, enhancing the colors we see," explained Dr. Laura Smith, a local atmospheric scientist.

The appearance of a rainbow alongside the orange sky added to the visual feast. Rainbows occur when light is refracted, or bent, as it enters a droplet of water, then reflected inside on the back of the droplet, and refracted again as it leaves. This process splits white light into its constituent colors, creating the familiar spectrum of a rainbow.