In the spring of 1978, the newspapers in San Francisco announced that conditions would be perfect for viewing the Green Flash from the westward facing beaches. We lucked out--the prediction proved correct and we got to see it! It was quite brief, a real flash, unlike other sunset phenomena which can stretch out for a few minutes.
Superb explanation! Excellent tutorial on the Green Flash. I've seen the Green Flash twice at sunset during two vacations to Club Med Turks on the island of Providenciales in the country of Turks & Caicos. The biggest problem is actually being outside as the Green Flash will not announce its impending arrival. Second, you do need that clear ocean view towards the sunset. It was TRULY A MAGICAL MOMENT, or actually a minute or two, and then it's gone. Congrats to anyone else who's seen it too.
Defo, the wonderful Surf shack, watergate bay Newquay Uk. The crowd on the bar balcony knew, or at least some did, verbally saying waaait….waaaait for the green flash…THERE it is. Seemed longer than two seconds tbh but surprising amount of time after the sun had gone. 50 odd people verbally surprised of gasps and oohs. Apparently that was one of the better ones. The sun had gone. It was down. Could only be the atmosphere bending light round the horizon, you see it shimmer etc. I wasn’t aware of the green being the most visible under those conditions either then or up to this video. Good job 👍
I have observed the green flash many times. The most recent time was in early July 2024 on Anna Maria Island, FL at sunset on the Gulf of Mexico. The conditions were perfect: a flat sea, cloudless horizon, and not much salt haze or humidity in the air. It only lasts for a split second, but it is a beautiful emerald green. Many times, it is easier to see in the winter when the air is cooler, denser and less humid. BTW, a digital camera (like in your cell phone) quite often is more capable of recording the green flash because the digital sensor chips in most digital cameras are more sensitive in the green wavelengths (twice as many green pixels than red or blue) than your eyes. Just take a video of the last minute of sunset.
Last week I was in Italy on a vacation on the eastern coast and I managed to see the green flash two days consecutively during the sunrise. Next 2 days there were clouds on the horizon. I was using binocuculars untill the Sun was 1-2 degrees high. Then I stopped watching through them beacuse of the safety. And the sunspots were visible well too.
