Looks like I have captured two significant incidences of the fabled “green flash,” both on the Hawaii island of Kauai.
A green flash is a meteorological optical phenomena that can occur at sunrise or sunset when the sun meets an unobstructed horizon such as an ocean. A flash is produced when light is refracted through the atmosphere. The flash usually lasts for about a second or two. In some cases the edge of the sun turns green when dipping below the horizon.
Both flashes were recorded with an iPhone 10 XS Max using the Live Photo setting and converted to video. I did not see the green flashes when they occurred, but noticed them later when reviewing the photos.
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The first green flash capture (above) was recorded at sunset at Hanalei Bay at 6:41PM on April 1st, 2019. The flash occurred behind Kauai’s famed Bali Hai (Mount Makana), a scene made famous in the movie South Pacific. The video was recorded from the Hanalei Pier.
Above: Photo of the first green flash at Hanalei Bay.
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The second green flash capture (above) was recorded at sunset off the south coast of Kauai at 6:49PM on April 2nd, 2019. This green flash occurred just as the sun was setting on the horizon behind the “forbidden island” of Niihau. The video was recorded on a Capt. Andy’s Na Pali Boat Cruise that had been diverted to the south shore (Kipu Kai) due to rough weather conditions on the Na Pali Coast.
Above: Before the flash. The Silhouette on the horizon is the island of Niihau.
Above and below: The flash!
Above: After the flash.
Legend has it that once you see a green flash you will never again have troubles with matters of the heart. I wish that were true.
My two lucky captures of the flash prove there is actually a green flash, and not just a green tinge as seen in many photos on the Internet labeled as a green flash. In earlier times, the phenomenon was known as a green ray, suggesting a flash instead of a tinge. In fact, Jules Verne wrote a novel, Le Rayon Vert (The Green Ray), about the phenomenon. A depiction of the green flash can be seen in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (video below).
Now that I have captured two green flashes, I suggest using iPhone’s Live Photos function (or video) if you would like to attempt to capture a green flash.
