The pinkish band in this picture of Mono Lake, California, can be observed shortly after sunset or shortly before sunrise when the sky is clear, at this time Venus can be found close to the horizon and hence the band is called “The Belt of Venus”.
It appears as a pinkish glow that extends roughly 10°–20° above the horizon on the eastern side of the night sky- opposite the setting Sun. The pink colour is attributed to the backscattering of Sunlight. It is quite common for The Belt of Venus to be separated from the horizon by a dark layer; this is in fact the Earth’s shadow and a sure sign of the onset of night. After a few minutes, this band will grow and darken swallowing up the day, offering us a glimpse at the greater universe that it is revealed with the arrival of night.
The Belt of Venus doesn’t get as much awe as it warrants; this is probably because it is competing with Sunrise or Sunset for attention. Nevertheless, it is a subtle yet beautiful phenomenon to be observed.
-Jean
Image courtesy of Jeff Sullivan
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