Morgan-Lou

Belt of Venus

Ceinture de Vénus © Morgan Lou Wolf
Here, the Belt of Venus has been captured before sunrise in February which gives a clearly pink color during the wi...
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Ceinture de Vénus © Morgan Lou Wolf
Here, the Belt of Venus has been captured before sunrise in February which gives a clearly pink color during the winter months as opposed to during the summer months, when it appears faded and dim below the orange-yellowish color of the horizon.
The Belt of Venus, Venus's Girdle, or antitwilight arch is an atmospheric phenomenon visible shortly before sunrise or after sunset, during civil twilight, when a pinkish glow extending roughly 10–20° above the horizon surrounds the observer.

In a way, the Belt of Venus is actually alpenglow visible above the horizon during twilight, near the antisolar point. Like alpenglow, the backscatter of reddened sunlight also creates the Belt of Venus. Unlike alpenglow, the sunlight refracted by the fine particulates that cause the rosy arch of the Belt hovers high in the atmosphere and persists long after sunset or before sunrise.
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