Venus is flashing green: Earth just got the signal

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 10, 2024 16:27 IST

In the early hours of a chilly Monday morning, the residents of Stockholm were treated to an extraordinary celestial display as Venus and the Moon rose together over the city's horizon.

But for one observer, Peter Rosen, the spectacle held an even more stunning surprise — a rare green flash from Venus.

Rosen, an early riser eager to witness the planetary conjunction, found himself witnessing a phenomenon that is as enchanting as it is uncommon. "Because of the extreme cold that still persists over southern Sweden, I also got an unexpected bonus in the form of a rare green flash on Venus," he shared.

WATCH VENUS FLASHES WITH GREEN LIGHT

Green flashes are optical phenomena that occur when Earth's atmosphere acts like a prism, separating white light into its constituent colours — red, green, and blue.

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This atmospheric dispersion is most pronounced when a celestial body is low on the horizon, where the light must traverse a denser layer of air. In this case, sharp temperature gradients in the atmosphere amplified the green segment of Venus's light spectrum, resulting in the fleeting yet mesmerizing green flash.

While green flashes are often associated with the setting sun, they can also occur with other bright objects such as the moon, stars, planets, and in this rare instance, Venus. Rosen's capture of the event may stand as one of the best visual records of a green flash on Venus to date. He described the vision as "a magnificent sight," capturing the imagination of both amateur stargazers and seasoned astronomers alike.

As Venus continues its orbit, those with a keen eye and a bit of luck might also glimpse this shiny glimmer — a green beacon heralding the mysteries and beauty of our solar system.