What is a green flash and how common is it in Cayman?

Auntie’s answer: Let me start off by saying to anyone who thinks the green flash is a myth, the phenomenon is very real. I know it sounds like an old wives’ tale but it is an occurrence with a very scientific explanation behind it.

But nobody panic; I will condense the description down to the simplest terms I can and as I understand it. The green flash is an optical phenomenon that occurs at sunset, though it can be seen at sunrise as well. I am going to focus, as it were, on the sun-going-down discussion.

As the sun sinks to the horizon, the light is refracted by the atmosphere, which separates it, like a prism, into the colours of the visible spectrum (you know – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, in order of longest to shortest wavelength). The shorter wavelengths are refracted most but the indigo, violet and blue get scattered more (please don’t ask me why), leaving green to be the colour of the flash.

I think that is all the technical stuff I have the energy to provide, so I am moving on to the second part of your question.

While I cannot say how common it is to spot a green flash here, the good news is that we in Cayman are in a great position to view it. One of the most important requirements is an uninterrupted view of the sunset, preferably over the sea (check). In addition, a clear sky free of pollution (check) and clouds (often enough) provides the best chance of the flash occurring.

Just wait till the sun is touching the horizon (if you look too long then it will affect your ability to see the green and it also is not good for your eyes). If the universe aligns for you, for a second or so there will be a flash of green at the top of the sun as it disappears.

Actually, I do have an old wives’ tale to relate. Apparently if you see a green flash, you will never make a mistake when it comes to matters of the heart. And that is as good a reason as any to keep looking for it.