An eerie green flash lights up the sky as the sun sets over the ocean – as witnesses call it ‘paranormal’
- Craig Hayslip, a faculty research assistant, captured the bizarre moment
- It is most visible at sea, but can also be seen from tall buildings or mountains
An eerie green flash lit up the sky as the sun set over the ocean in Oregon.
The bizarre moment was captured by Craig Hayslip, a research assistant at Oregon State University.
Hayslip posted to his Instagram last week a photo of the sunset and the moment the green light appeared, which some have labeled as “paranormal.” The photo left people stunned by the sight and offered explanations for what they saw.
“Tonight’s sunset west of Bandon, Oregon and then a green flash behind a cloud at the end,” he said.
Craig Hayslip, a research assistant at Oregon State University, captured an eerie green flash that lit up the sky as the sun set over the ocean in Oregon
Hayslip graduated from the University of Washington in 1982 with a degree in zoology. He now works for the Hatfield Marine Science Center at Oregon State University in Newport
The ‘elusive’ green flash occurs when the sun is almost completely below the horizon, while the upper edge remains visible.
At this time, the upper edge of the sun may turn a vibrant shade of green or even electric blue.
Oregon Live reported that Marine Mammal Institute staff said they had seen the flash “quite often” while at sea.
According to Earth skyThe best time to see the phenomenon is during a clear, non-foggy day with no clouds on the horizon.
The green flash is not only visible from the ocean or beach, but can also be seen from the top of tall buildings or mountains, the outlet said. It is recommended that those witnessing the spectacle do not look directly at the sun as this may cause eye damage.
In the first photo Hayslip posted, part of the sun could be seen below the horizon while dark orange clouds hovered above.
Commenters flocked to his post, with one saying, “I’ve been trying to see the green flash for so many years.”
In the first photo Hayslip posted, part of the sun could be seen below the horizon while dark orange clouds hovered above
They added: ‘So great to see it here at least. Thank you for capturing this moment!’
Another commented: ‘Amazing and beautiful photo, thanks for sharing with everyone!’
According to his websiteHayslip graduated from the University of Washington in 1982 with a degree in zoology.
He now works for Oregon State University’s Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, where he photographs documentation of tagging efforts and manages the media library.
Hayslip said he’s also had the opportunity to get “other interesting jobs,” such as building satellite tags and working on research boats.
In 2020, a sunset near the Golden Gate Bridge created a temporary green flash of light.
In 2020, a sunset near the Golden Gate Bridge created a temporary green flash of light
A time-lapse video of the mysterious optical phenomenon was captured in 2015 by Eric Sterman.
Sterman was shooting video of a Hawaiian sunset on the North Shore of Oahu when his Panasonic GH4 camera caught the rare green flash.
The time-lapse footage showed the sun descending from a line of dark clouds and gradually dipping into the ocean as a group of whales leapt out of the water.
Just before the sun completely disappeared below the horizon, a portion of the ocean’s surface and the darkening sky were illuminated green for a brief moment.
The rarely seen green flash occurred just before the last part of the sun disappeared from view at the end of the 15-second clip.