Butch Harper, of Madison, Ala.., for his question:

WHY IS THE SUN SOMETIMES SO RED WHEN IT SETS?

You may watch a sunset every evening of your life and never see the same display twice. The western skies may wear golden hues of orange or apricot that later give way to rosy blushes of pink or red. If clouds are present they may add a touch of purple or pearly gray. Actually our razzle dazzle sun is the same color each and every day. But we look at it through the gaseous atmosphere that envelopes the earth, and this makes all the difference in the world.

A golden sunbeam is a package of invisible light pulsing along at different wavelengths. As it comes down through the atmosphere, some of its wavelengths are bent and scattered to show their hidden colors. During the day, when the sun is more or less overhead, the short wavelengths are bent ¬coloring the sky blue. When evening comes, and the sun is lower in the horizon, we see it through a thicker layer of our atmosphere. Now only the longer wavelengths of light come through  the reds and oranges. Although our atmosphere seems like an invisible nothing, it is made of gaseous atoms and molecules, mixed with misty moisture and a wide assortment of dusty particles. These are super tiny particles to be sure, but they are large enough to break up the sunbeams and force them to reveal their concealed colors.