Are sunrises and sunsets more spectacular in winter?

two people stand at the edge of a large body of water and look at the dramatic colorful sunset with the sky painted in golden light. — Shorter days, crisp clean air and a low winter sun all play a role in those vivid pink and golden skies. (Image credit: Photo by Hanneke Luijting via Getty Images)

Have you ever found yourself glancing out a window or driving home on a winter's evening, only to be stopped in your tracks by a sky awash with vivid pinks, fiery oranges and soft golds like something lifted straight from a painting? Or maybe you're an early bird who has caught a breathtaking sunrise as the dawn chorus welcomes a brisk new winter's day.

So are sunrises and sunsets really more spectacular in winter, or do we simply notice them more when our daily routines line up better with the beginning and end of daylight?

The answer lies somewhere between science and perception. From the way sunlight travels through Earth's atmosphere to the seasonal changes in air quality and the sun's lower path across the sky, winter can create conditions that favor more dramatic colors in the sky. At the same time, shorter days mean we're simply more likely to be around to see them. But what is really going on? Let's take a look at what's going on above our heads.

Winter light looks different

The colors we see at sunrise and sunset depend on how sunlight interacts with Earth's atmosphere. Sunlight contains every color in the spectrum, but as it travels through the atmosphere, tiny air molecules (mostly nitrogen and oxygen) collide with it, scattering the shorter-wavelength blue and violet light much more effectively than the longer-wavelength reds and oranges. This process, known as Raleigh scattering, is why the daytime sky looks blue but the sky around sunrise and sunset turns warming shades of red and orange when the sun is low in the sky, according to the U.K. Met Office.

During the winter, the sun's path stays lower above the horizon than in summer, meaning sunlight has to travel through more of the atmosphere before it reaches your eyes. More atmosphere means more chances for shorter wavelengths of light to scatter away, and we just see what's left — the longer wavelengths of red and orange.

vibrant orange, pink and lilac sky above snow capped mountains and water below. — Raleigh scattering painting the Arctic Norwegian sky yellow, lilac and blue. (Image credit: Daisy Dobrijevic/Future)

The role of colder, drier air

Seasonal changes in the atmosphere can also affect how colorful sunrises and sunsets appear.

One important factor is humidity. Warmer air typically holds more water vapor. Tiny water droplets can scatter light, washing out the vivid reds and oranges. In winter, especially in colder climates, the air tends to be drier and less humid, meaning there is less water vapor to diffuse the incoming sunlight. In those conditions, the longer-wavelength reds and oranges that remain after blue light is scattered can appear crisper and more vibrant.

Another factor is air quality. After a rain or snowstorm clears dust and pollution from the lower atmosphere, the sky can be significantly "cleaner". With fewer large particles to scatter light indiscriminately, the colors that reach your eyes can appear richer.

vibrant orange, pink and lilac sky — A vivid sunset above the Medvinden ice skating track on Lake Storsjön in Östersund, Sweden. (Image credit: Daisy Dobrijevic/Future)

Do winter sunrises and sunsets last longer?

Winter sunrises and sunsets can also appear more spectacular because we simply have longer to soak them in. Because Earth's axis is tilted by about 23.5 degrees, the sun moves to different locations in the sky in different seasons, and follows a shallower arc through the sky during the winter. This means the sun spends more time near the horizon at both sunrise and sunset than it does in summer. The longer horizon-hugging bath gives those warm hues more time to develop and persist across a broader swath of sky.

Or do we simply notice them more?

Perhaps winter sunrises and sunsets appear to feel more spectacular simply because we see them more.

In summer, sunrise often happens while many of us are still asleep and evening sunsets can occur well after the workday is over. But in winter, sunrise and sunset tend to fall squarely within typical waking hours, particularly around commutes to and from work or school. This timing alone increases the chances we're going to be looking out a window, in a car, or walking home just when the sky is at its very best.

In the end, there's no single reason winter sunrises and sunsets can look so spectacular. When low angles of the sun, atmospheric conditions and timing line up, they can deliver truly striking displays and in winter, and more of us are awake to catch them.

Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022 having previously worked for our sister publication All About Space magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre in Leicester, U.K., where she enjoyed communicating space science to the public. In 2021, Daisy completed a PhD in plant physiology and also holds a Master's in Environmental Science, she is currently based in Nottingham, U.K. Daisy is passionate about all things space, with a penchant for solar activity and space weather. She has a strong interest in astrotourism and loves nothing more than a good northern lights chase!

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