alpine glow

alpine glow A sequence of colours seen on snow-covered mountain tops at sunset, sometimes called alpenglow or (German) alpenglüh. The true alpine glow begins when the Sun is still above the horizon. Mountain tops that are illuminated by the Sun become yellow, pink, reddish, and finally purple, before being overtaken by the shadow of the Earth. Subsequently, when the Sun is at least 3–4° below the horizon, and if the purple light is present, the mountains may be illuminated by a purple glow, known as the afterglow. A reversed sequence may be seen at sunrise. See also SUNRISE/SUNSET COLOURS
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