ELI5 Sunrise - why do sunrise and sunset look different?

What makes sunrises and sunsets visually unique experiences despite being technically the same phenomenon? Why do atmospheric conditions lead to warmer reds during sunsets and cooler blues during sunrises? How do variations in dust, humidity, and pollution change the colors we perceive at sunrise versus sunset? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: username1, username2, username3, username4, username5, and username6. To the community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail: [email protected]