The reverse sunset beam 'dyes' the pink sky

The photographer captures impressive views when colorful rays appear on the opposite side of the Sun.

Pink inverted sunset rays stand out against the blue sky.(Photo: Bryan Goff).

NASA on March 18 shared an impressive shot of sky by photographer Bryan Goff in Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida. Although it looks like a supernatural phenomenon, this is actually the scene that appears when the Sun sets on the other side . The phenomenon in the image is called reverse sunset.

Normal sunset rays appear whenever sunlight shines through scattered clouds. The sun is actually in a straight line, but the projections of the rays in the spherical sky are large arcs. Therefore, light rays from the setting or rising sun appear to reunite on the other side of the sky, at the opposite point (the point opposite the Sun).

The sun at the opposite point is called the sunset rays. Reverse sunset rays are not too rare, but are often dimmer and harder to observe than normal sunset rays.

• Learn about sunrise and sunset
• Why is there a purple sunset? The real cause is surprising to everyone!