Sunset Atmospheric Refraction
This interactive simulator explores Sunset Atmospheric Refraction in Astronomy & The Sky. Geometric vs apparent horizon: lift of the solar disk from a layered atmosphere model. Use the controls to change the scenario; watch the visualization and any graphs or readouts to connect the model with lectures, labs, and homework.
Who it's for: Suited to beginners and first exposure to the topic. Typical context: Astronomy & The Sky.
Key terms
- sunset
- atmospheric
- refraction
- sunset refraction
- astronomy
How it works
Refraction is wavelength-dependent (green flash at extreme grazing cases) and varies with temperature profiles. This sim separates geometric altitude from a single effective lifting angle for teaching.
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