Colourful sunrises/sunsets

[agrumpycow]

It's a question I've been mulling over for a while now and I suppose I could google it but would probably understand the answers more here

What atmospheric and/or weather conditions make for a colourful sunrise or
sunset? I'm presuming there is a particular 'recipe' for the fantastic colours we see? Can they be predicted by knowing the weather forecast?

[loripo]

I did do a google as I have looked this up before but the details have gorn!

BBC - North Yorkshire Weather - January's weather roundup

This one was about my level! However at the moment we have the Russian volcano adding to the spectacle apparently.

[Tringa]

Dust particles in the atmosphere scatter light, as do water droplets. Red light is scattered less than blue light so more red light gets through and the sunset looks largely red/orange.

If there are more dust particles in the air then the effect can be greater. Have a look at Nytecam's thread and photos of the effect of the recent eruption of a Russian volcano.

It has also been suggested that some of the dramatic sunsets in Turner's painting were linked to the effects of the eruption of Tambora in 1825.

[Tringa]

Ooops - a typo in my earlier posting. Tambora erupted in 1815, not 1825.

[agrumpycow]

Thanks for the replies (and the link). I hadn't thought that dust particles could contribute.