desert sunsets
Sandy horizon glow
Desert sunsets are the vivid displays of color that occur as the sun sets over arid landscapes.
The dry air and lack of atmospheric moisture allow light to travel with unusual clarity, producing intense oranges, reds, and purples across vast unobstructed horizons.
Dust particles scatter light in ways that create dramatic gradations.
The phenomenon is associated with the American Southwest, the Sahara, and other desert regions: We pulled over to watch the desert sunset.
The image has become somewhat clichéd in photography and home décor.
- goldenBright yellow, or precious
- golden hourWarm-lit period near sunset
- duskDimming after sundown
- horizonApparent earth-sky meeting
- endless horizonView without visible boundary
cacti · silhouette · orange · burnt orange · crimson · sand · twilight · saguaro · mesa · glow · arid · purple · afterglow · dust · scorched · vast · wide open spaces · solitude
- desert activitiescamel rides, dune bashing, sand boarding, safari tours, Death Valley
- Red Rock Countryred rock, red sand, slickrock, hoodoos, arches
- Palm SpringsPalm Springs, Coachella, aerial tramway, tram