A: What you saw does sometimes happen in the tropics and Hawaii right at sunset or sunrise. The green flash is a fussy phenomenon. It won’t wink at you every dawn or dusk, but only when conditions are suitable. The horizon should be sharp (open sea, for example) and the atmosphere clear. Most green flashes are seen over water in areas far from industrial centers. The flashes last less than 10 seconds.

This green flash is one of color refraction. As the light from the sun passes through the atmosphere, it is bent from its direct course. Since the amount of bending is slightly different for each color of the rainbow, separate images of the sun are formed in each color. Usually, the difference is so slight that the effect is not noticeable.

This refraction is at its maximum at the horizon, where there is the greatest separation between one color and another. The variance between violet at one end of the spectrum and red at the other is about 10 seconds of arc.

Bent least by refraction is the red image, the first color to disappear downward at sunset and the last to appear at sunrise. As the sun sinks into the western horizon, the red emanating from it will be the first to drop out of sight, then the orange and the yellow, leaving green as the last color to disappear. If the red, orange and yellow images are below the horizon, and the blue and violet light is scattered and absorbed by the atmosphere, only the upper rim of the green image is seen (partially) and the sun appears green.

QWhat are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

A: Lyme disease is a disease spread by deer ticks, which are very small and sometimes hard to detect. Not all ticks have Lyme disease and the quicker you remove any attached tick, the better.

Symptoms include a “bulls-eye” rash (a red circle with a pale center) that can show up anywhere on your body from three to 30 days after the bite. Some experts also say that the rash can have a variety of appearances, including a red circular-like rash with a red or even redder center. If you see any type of red circular rash and/or have flu-like symptoms, call your doctor.

Q I have mint growing everywhere. Do you have any tips on how I can use it?

A: Mint leaves and sprigs are fun to chew. A sprig in a cool glass of iced tea or lemonade adds a zesty tang. It also makes a fine hot tea all by itself, with just a little honey to sweeten it. Add a few mint leaves to fruit cocktails or ice cream for both decoration and delicious flavor. Crushed mint leaves mixed with a little vinegar and water makes a tasty homemade sauce for stews or lamb. Because mint is so productive, you can grow it indoors all year. Outside, mint might take over an area, so be sure to leave room for it to expand. Mint doesn’t dry well, so you should always use it fresh.

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