I suspect that these sunset colours, and it was a spectacular sunset and
ditto the sunrise this morning, are associated with abnormally low
temperatures at between 20.5 and 23 km altitude, generally below -88C,
and -90.9C at Albermarle at 1200z. Those sort of temperatures will probably
produce a layer of thin cloud akin to cirrostratus. The sunset glow could
only be observed in the direction of the sun, and at no time covered the sky
in the opposite direction, indicating that the phenomenon was one of forward
scattering of sunlight. I also noticed some crepuscular rays caused by
shadows of distant clouds, possibly about 600 miles away over the Atlantic.

--
Bernard Burton
Wokingham, Berkshire, UK.

Satellite images at:
www.woksat.info/wwp.html
or
www.btinternet.com/~wokingham.weather/wwp.html
"Darren Prescott" wrote in message
...
Unusually light and orangey across sky and houses so later after sunset.
1745 East Yorkshire.
Here's the view from here (north Kent):

http://i30.tinypic.com/vrez34.jpg

Absolutely fantastic sunset, following on from that lovely sunrise this
morning.

I guess it must be pollution from the Continent causing it (as I'm unaware
of any large-scale fires to our east)...