EXPLAINER: Why does the color of the sun appear red

A bright red sun was recently observed in Baguio City, a phenomenon usually seen at dusk.

In Katrina Son’s Wednesday report on “State of the Nation,” Mark Tarroza Dizon shared that he took photos of the red sun since he was amazed by its appearance.

However, he was alarmed since he knew that this phenomenon was caused by pollution. He also noticed that there was a forest fire in the area.

But why does the color of the sun turn red?

An expert from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the public should not be alarmed since it is a natural phenomenon.

PAGASA weather specialist Chenel Dominguez explained that it is an indication of the amount of particles in the atmosphere, such as smoke, dust, and pollution, which affect how light is scattered.

“Ito po yung tinatawag po nating Rayleigh scattering. Ito po yung pag-disperse o yung pagkalat po ng liwanag sa hangin,” Dominguez said.

(This is what we called Rayleigh scattering, where the light disperses or scatters in the air.)

“Hazy din po yung image po natin and then more on cloudy din po. So yung clouds po is nag-aact din as filter,” she added.

(The image is also hazy and cloudy. The clouds act as a filter.)

Those who plan to observe the sun should be cautious. The public was advised to avoid looking directly at the sun for a long time to avoid damaging the eyes. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA News