The Belt of Venus over Mount Everest
You've surely seen it, but you might not have noticed it. During a cloudless twilight , just before sunrise or after sunset , part of the atmosphere above the horizon appears slightly dark and off-color. Called the Belt of Venus , this transitional band between the dark eclipsed sky and the bright day sky can be seen most prominently in the direction opposite the Sun . Straight above, blue sky is normal sunlight reflecting off the atmosphere, while near the horizon the clear sky can appear more orange or red . In the Belt of Venus , the atmosphere reflects more light from the setting (or rising) Sun and so appears more red . Featured here, the Belt of Venus was photographed over several Himalayan mountains including, second from the right, Mount Everest , the tallest mountain on Earth . Although usually not mentioned , the belt is frequently caught by accident in other photographs .