Belt of Venus

"Venus's girdle" redirects here. For the marine lifeform, see Ctenophora.

Belt of Venus at 42,000 feet

Moon against the Belt of Venus

The Belt of Venus or Venus's Girdle is the Victorian-era name for an atmospheric phenomenon seen at sunrise and sunset. Shortly after sunset or shortly before sunrise, the observer is, or is very nearly, surrounded by a pinkish glow or antitwilight arch that extends roughly 10°–20° above the horizon. Often, the glow is separated from the horizon by a dark layer, the Earth's shadow or "dark segment". The Arch's light rose (pink) color is due to backscattering of reddened light from the rising or setting Sun. A very similar effect can be seen during a total solar eclipse.

See also

• Golden hour (photography) or Magic hour
• Anticrepuscular rays
• Atmospheric refraction
• Blue hour
• Earth's shadow

References

• Naylor, John (2002). Out of the blue : a 24-hour skywatcher's guide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 72. ISBN 0521809258. 

External links

• APOD entry
• Further APOD entry (scroll to right of image for best view)