Skip to content

Do You Believe in the Green Flash?

"Wait for it. . . " If you ever get lucky enough to glimpse a green flash, it will appear immediately after the sun sinks over an exceptionally clear horizon — or just before sunrise. Needless to say, it’s important not to roast your retinas in the process by staring into the sun too long. 

latitude/andy
©2015Latitude 38 Media, LLC

One ritual that first-time offshore sailors are often encouraged to participate in is trying to catch a glimpse of the mysterious green flash, which, they are told, sometimes appears on the horizon just after the sun sets on an exceptionally clear horizon — or just before sunrise. 

Try as they might, though, many sailors never have any luck observing one, and eventually conclude that ‘flash’ hunting is a fool’s errand — about as likely to be seen as the Comet Kohoutek. But we can testify that green flashes really do happen, although only for a second or two when conditions are just right. They’re not optical illusions, but real phenomena that occur, we’re told, because Earth’s atmosphere separates the sun’s light into different colors. 

"That’s it?" you say. Well, yeah. In fact after making 20 trips down the coast of Baja and never before catching a shot of the elusive green twinkle, we were pretty proud of ourselves for capturing this one. 

latitude/andy
©2015Latitude 38 Media, LLC

You can observe them at any latitude, although their appearance is likely to be quicker the closer you are to the equator. And you can observe them from any altitude. Pilots often see them from high altitudes, especially when heading west toward the setting sun. If you’ve never been lucky enough to see a green flash, don’t give up. Perhaps you just need to do more offshore sailing.

Leave a Comment




The falling price of oil has apparently not dampened the Omani passion for sailing, nor their ability to host a grand (and pricey) regatta. The