click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
A sunset (above). It's easy to assume that sunrises and sunsets are exactly the same--just in reverse order; but there are a few reasons for differences.
Sunrises tend to be cooler with more blue, and sunsets tend to be a bit warmer, with more orange. Science has established that the predominately shorter blue wavelengths of a sunrise undergo scattering considerably more than the longer red wavelengths of a sunset. Moisture, typical of the morning air, plays a role; diminishing red, allowing the shorter blueish wavelengths to become more visible.
Dust, smoke, and smog is usually but not always more abundant at the end of a day. Therefore, at sunset there is generally more particulate matter in the air, scattering the light and causing a more intense reflection.
Another valid explanation is that just before sunrise the irises of our eyes are already quite wide, whereas at sunset our night vision hasn't yet adjusted to the waning light and we just do not see as many subtle colors as we do at sunrise.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Given my druthers, I would chose a sunrise like the one above. But I do not base my preference on colors--but rather the peaceful solitude of sunrise, especially during summer months when the sun arrives very, very early. Ever so briefly, the birds and I have the world all to ourselves.
