Tag Archives: green flash

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It is said that to see a green flash will bring you good luck. So I hope that if you on the Mendonoma coast, you will take the time to watch the sunset. A green flash sometimes appears at the moment the sun is disappearing from view. This first photo was taken by Peter Cracknell. Note the emerald-green color and note the clear horizon.

The green flash is a photographable mirage, caused by light refraction. Here is a photo by Richard Kuehn showing the classic hour-glass, where the top of the sun seems to pinch off from the bottom. You can see a green flash at the top of the hour-glass. But there might have been a bigger green flash a moment after Rich took this photo.

If you are extremely lucky, a green flash will morph into a blue flash. This photo was taken by Allen Vinson and it also has hints of purple on the edges - it's very rare to get a photo of this.

Allen also captured this green flash. Look! There are two green flashes in his photo.

Allen always celebrates his green flash viewing with a green flash cocktail. Very civilized, Allen!

If you interested in learning the mechanics of a green flash, here is an article that might help: http://aty.sdsu.edu/explain/explain.html

I'll be watching the sunset tonight. How about you?

Thanks to Peter, Rich and Allen for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Robert Scarola photographed what I believe is a yellow flash.

The Double Sun by Robert Scarola

The night after I thought for sure I was going to get my first photo of a green flash but I photographed what Robert described in his photo as "two suns" or a yellow flash.

Yellow Flash by Jeanne Jackson

Andrew T. Young has a fascinating article on the web about green flashes. He wrote, “Green flashes are not always green; they can be yellow, green, blue, or even violet. But green is the hue seen most often.”

Mr. Young also has some unsolved green flash mysteries. Perhaps you can  help solve one of them. Here is the link: http://mintaka.sdsu.edu/GF/unsolved.html

Here is one of my favorite green flash photos, taken by Craig Tooley. It shows a double green flash.

Double Green Flash JAN by Craig Tooley

One of the myths about green flashes is that it is good luck when you see one. Let's expand that to yellow flashes too!

Thanks to Robert and Craig for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, his website is: www.ruffimage.com

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Richard Kuehn must have a lot of good luck as he sees an amazing amount of green flashes from his bluff top home on The Sea Ranch. It helps that he can see the sunset over the ocean every day of the year and that he takes the time to watch every sunset he possibly can. He recently photographed the green flash.

July 31 Green Flash by Richard Kuehn

Rick and I can't see the sunset three months of the year - it is blocked by Fish Rock Ridge - but we are now able to watch it as it "sinks" into the ocean. We too will be watching for this special mirage, the green flash.

Thanks to Rich for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

To see another photo of the green flash, here's the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/10/03/the-green-flash-was-seen-sunday-at-sunset/

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Martin Steinpress captured a big of magic recently - a green flash.

Martin also saw the food chain in action at the Gualala River. Below a River Otter has nabbed a Gull and is taking it to shore for its lunch. I believe there is a second River Otter behind the one carrying the Gull. They do hunt cooperatively.

River Otters swim underneath a group of unsuspecting Gulls and then grabs one for dinner. A River Otter was seen taking a Brown Pelican this way. It can be hard to see but it is part of our natural world.

Thanks to Martin for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

To see a photo of a  green flash that turned into a blue flash and then a purple flash, photographed by Ron LeValley, here is the link: http://www.mendonomasightings.com/2012/08/10/a-green-flash-that-turned-into-something-more-as-photographed-by-coastal-photographer-ron-levalley/

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I've been trying for years to photograph a green flash so, yes, I am a bit envious. Robert Scarola saw that there was a possibility for a green flash at sunset and was ready with his camera.

 And in the photo below - the green flash!

Thanks to Robert for allowing me to share his photo with you here.