Particles of debris create an unusual red sky and sun around the UK
The blue light spectrum hit the headlines today, but not for the reasons usually associated with optics.
Particles of debris from forest fires in Portugal and Spain, along with dust from the Sahara, were dragged along in the wake of Hurricane Ophelia, creating an unusual red sky and sun around the UK.
BBC weather presenter Simon King said the dust had caused shorter wavelength blue light to be scattered, making it appear red. ‘Ophelia originated in the Azores where it was a hurricane and as it tracked its way northwards it dragged in tropical air from the Sahara,’ he added.