Why was the sky blue in NYC?

Around 9:10 p.m. Thursday, a brief fire broke out when a piece of equipment failed at a substation in Astoria, causing a reaction that turned New York City’s sky blue. Water droplets in the cloud cover at 2,500 feet scattered the light and made the sky glow blue.

Why did the sky light up blue?

Sunlight reaches Earth’s atmosphere and is scattered in all directions by all the gases and particles in the air. Blue light is scattered more than the other colors because it travels as shorter, smaller waves. This is why we see a blue sky most of the time.

When did the Con Edison explosion happen?

The company is now investigating what caused the trip. The flash happened just before 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 29. It sparked lots of curiosity from New Yorkers concerned about the power dip — and “extremely limited service” on several subway lines for the remainder of the evening.

When did the sky turn blue?

Fed by nutrients in the sea and powered by the sun, cyanobacteria exploded across the ocean, pumping more and more oxygen into Earth’s atmosphere. Slowly, over the next two billion years, oxygen in the atmosphere rose to its present levels, and the sky took on the blue hue on view today.

Why is the sky changing colors in New York?

Molecules and small particles in the atmosphere change the direction of light rays, causing them to scatter. Scattering affects the color of light coming from the sky, but the details are determined by the wavelength of the light and the size of the particle. The other colors continue on their way to your eyes.

What does a blue flash in the sky?

(meteorology, astronomy) A very rare phenomenon observed in the morning or evening when the sun is crossing or immediately below the horizon, in which a momentary flash of blue light appears above the upper rim of the solar disk, caused by refraction of light in the atmosphere.

How many power plants are in NYC?

The electricity system is made of three main elements: generation, the transmission system, and the distribution system. Twenty four plants generate up to 9,600 MW of power, which is more than 80 percent of New York City’s peak demand.

What time did the Lebanon blast happen?

Around 18:00 local time (15:00 UTC) on 4 August 2020, a fire broke out in Warehouse 12 at the Port of Beirut.

Why are electrical fires blue?

The power company that runs the substation, Con Edison, said the blue light was caused by an “electrical arc flash,” according to a statement reported by ABC News. When a strong electrical current passes through the air, it causes a blinding light, called an electric arc.

Why did the Sky Turn Blue in New York City?

An explosion at a Con Edison substation caused the New York sky to turn blue. Social media users from across the city posted videos of the eerie light, with some fearing an alien invasion.Credit.

What caused the blue light on in Astoria?

In a statement on Twitter, Con Edison said there had been “a brief electrical fire” at one of its substations in Astoria, “which involved some electrical transformers and caused a transmission dip in the area.” Mayor Bill de Blasio said the blue light was caused by an electrical surge at the substation.

What was that blue light in the sky Thursday night?

There was a boom; then a hum. The lights flickered. A giant plume of smoke filled the New York City sky around 9:12 p.m., and turned it blue. “A sort of unnatural, fluorescent shade of blue,” said Bill San Antonio, 28, who was watching Thursday night from inside a terminal at La Guardia Airport.

Did a Con Edison explosion turn the New York sky blue?

An explosion at a Con Edison substation caused the New York sky to turn blue. Social media users from across the city posted videos of the eerie light, with some fearing an alien invasion.