Cover image via Reddit
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Residents in southern Pandeglang, Indonesia, were left in awe after the sky turned an intense shade of red
Many locals took to social media to share videos of the rare event on the afternoon of 18 December, sparking confusion and concern in the community.
However, the phenomenon was actually a natural atmospheric optical effect known as serakan Rayleigh (Rayleigh scattering).
According to a 2016 journal titled Rayleigh Scattering In The Atmospheres Of Hot Stars by J. Fišák, the phenomenon is a specific type of scattering process.
John William Strutt, better known as Lord Rayleigh, was the first to describe Rayleigh scattering
Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Department (BMKG) Region II Banten head, Hartanto, confirmed that the occurrence was normal.
Hartanto explained to Indonesian news portal Detik that the phenomenon occurs due to the refraction of sunlight when the sun is low or approaching sunset.
This means sunlight must travel a longer distance through the Earth's atmosphere to reach human eyes.
"So, only colours with longer wavelengths, such as red, orange, and yellow, can penetrate the atmosphere and be captured by the eye," he said.
The intensity was also affected by high water vapour concentrations and the presence of aerosol particles, like dust or pollutants.
Because it was raining in Pandeglang at the time, the red reflection on the clouds became even more vivid
Hartanto urged the public to stay calm and not listen to wild speculation.
He also clarified that the red sky had nothing to do with any impending natural disasters.
