Belt of Venus

This is the name given to the strip of dark blue sky, bordered along its upper edge by another somewhat narrower band of pinkish color, visible for a few minutes above the horizon opposite to where the sun is located, both before sunrise and after sunset. The phenomenon, also known as the Belt of Venus, is due to the projection of the Earth's shadow onto its own atmosphere, and this dimmer portion of the sky can be clearly observed when it is clear and visibility is good. Both large sea horizons and plains, as well as mountain summits, are favorable places for observing the planet's shadow.