# Red Skies in fiction **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 30, 2013, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692 "2013-05-30T06:52:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/1 "2013-05-30T06:52:56Z")
For some reason I’ve always found red skies to be particularly unsettling. I would even go so far as to say I might have a phobia of it. Whenever I’m playing a video game or watching a sci-fi show or something that involves a red sky, I freak out on an instinctual level a little bit. I think the first encounter I had with a blood-red sky was the video game Doom for the PC. Not all the levels had red skies and not all levels even had a sky at all that you could see (many of them were indoors completely), but I remember [at least one level](http://xkvplq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pRFf77oallhCD3xs6wF3f7IsLjEKhuCjAcAC_07F_MvSpOsaVXkHI89r5h5Imlz2HG-xIqJ66A4vOBLmpDF12zNDetxJExGbk/Screenshot_Doom_20100202_165900.png) that had a deep blood red sky that always frightened me as a kid. So do you have any examples of red skies in fiction? Pictures are appreciated but descriptions are great too. If I ever woke up and saw the sky blood-red like in that photo I linked, I would probably start sobbing like a baby and maybe even go insane. \<\_\< ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/2 "2013-05-30T07:14:38Z")
Star Trek had some. [Vulcan](http://www.startrek.com/legacy_media/images/200303/tos-034-spock-greets-his-fello/320x240.jpg) in some shots for example. The sky on the Guardian of Forever’s planet was [reddish](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEsv7saM6_E/TmY-29w_nEI/AAAAAAAABAo/fizYEhOPx1c/s1600/startrek_m113.jpg). The sky of Mars in _Robinson Crusoe on Mars_ was [red, black](http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/images/film/robinson-crusoe-on-mars/w448/robinson-crusoe-on-mars.jpg) or orange depending on the time of day as I recall. The sky and sun in [Mistborn](http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs45/f/2009/137/9/5/Mistborn___Vin_II_v_2_by_Inkthinker.jpg) is [red](http://inkthinker.deviantart.com/art/Mistborn-Inquisitor-II-96774045), filtered through the ash. ---
**Author:** ![NeonMadman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/58f4c7/32.png) [@NeonMadman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NeonMadman)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/3 "2013-05-30T12:25:31Z")
Back in the 1980s, DC Comics revamped their universe with a series called “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” One characteristic of the whole series was that the impending crisis turned the sky red. A number of issues of their regular titles were billed as “Crisis” tie-in issues, and in some cases, there was no connection to the ongoing “Crisis” storyline except that the sky was red. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/4 "2013-05-30T17:02:22Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > …The sky on the Guardian of Forever’s planet was [reddish](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zEsv7saM6_E/TmY-29w_nEI/AAAAAAAABAo/fizYEhOPx1c/s1600/startrek_m113.jpg)… That’s planet M-113 from TOS “The Man Trap,” not the Guardian planet. You’ll note McCoy isn’t crazed by a cordrazine overdose. The _Enterprise_ crew appears to visit the Guardian planet at night; the sky is a dark purple: [http://www.celestialbunker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Forever.jpg](http://www.celestialbunker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Forever.jpg) The animated series episode “Yesteryear” showed it in daylight, but it still wasn’t a red sky: [http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/\_\_cb20061201034404/memoryalpha/en/images/e/ef/Guardian\_of\_Forever,\_2269.jpg](http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20061201034404/memoryalpha/en/images/e/ef/Guardian_of_Forever,_2269.jpg) Tycho IV in TOS “Obsession” has a reddish sky, [http://i.stack.imgur.com/fLm2d.jpg](http://i.stack.imgur.com/fLm2d.jpg), as did Excalbia in TOS “The Savage Curtain” (check out those draped boulders!), [http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/\_\_cb20081212051934/memoryalpha/en/images/0/02/Excalbia\_surface.jpg](http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081212051934/memoryalpha/en/images/0/02/Excalbia_surface.jpg) and [http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/\_\_cb20081213174531/memoryalpha/en/images/thumb/d/d9/Excalbia\_departure.jpg/185px-Excalbia\_departure.jpg](http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081213174531/memoryalpha/en/images/thumb/d/d9/Excalbia_departure.jpg/185px-Excalbia_departure.jpg), and the Founders’ homeworld on DS9: [http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/\_\_cb20041031174249/memoryalpha/en/images/d/d6/NewFoundersHomeworldSurface.jpg](http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20041031174249/memoryalpha/en/images/d/d6/NewFoundersHomeworldSurface.jpg). And Vulcan, of course, as noted above. In all of ST, I’m sure there were others. The _Gettysburg_ poster included a brilliant red sunset; the movie was based on Michael Shaara’s novel _The Killer Angels_: [http://www.impawards.com/1993/posters/gettysburg.jpg](http://www.impawards.com/1993/posters/gettysburg.jpg). _October Sky_ was similarly fictionalized: [http://www.impawards.com/1999/posters/october\_sky.jpg](http://www.impawards.com/1999/posters/october_sky.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/5 "2013-05-30T21:32:14Z")
The book and subsequent movie [Red Sky at Morning](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067659/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) use it as a sign of impending bad things about to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/6 "2013-05-30T21:35:16Z")
In the MMORG _Everquest,_, a zone where the sky turned red usually meant that a special event, possibly involving a Sony employee playing a character, was in progress. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/7 "2013-05-30T22:43:52Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > In the MMORG _Everquest,_, a zone where the sky turned red usually meant that a special event, possibly involving a Sony employee playing a character, was in progress. That reminds me of how in City of Heroes the sky turned red during zombie invasions. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/8 "2013-05-30T22:57:41Z")
During the _Cataclysm_ expansion in _World of Warcraft_ a blood-red sky meant you were about to be toasted by the black dragon Deathwing. The first time it happened to your character you got an achievement: “Stood in the Fire”. Oh, and you died a fiery death, but in that game death is only a temporary inconvenience. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/9 "2013-05-30T23:09:36Z")
Japanese feudal steampunk dystopia “Stormdancer” has red skies - very prominently part of the setting and plotline. I’ll second Mistborn officially, but the overall FEEL to me for Mistborn was more of nearly permanent cloudy grey ashen skies rather than red skies. In video games, several of the planets in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 have red/purplish/orangeish skies. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/10 "2013-05-30T23:20:46Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > That reminds me of how in City of Heroes the sky turned red during zombie invasions. Seems like they did something similar with an alien invasion, too…but I quit playing that game several years ago, and may be confusing two (or more) events. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/11 "2013-05-30T23:34:25Z")
I believe the Doctor’s [Gallifrey](http://images1.fanpop.com/images/photos/2500000/gallifrey-last-of-the-time-lords-doctor-who-2564617-1024-768.jpg) had red skies. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/12 "2013-05-31T00:36:54Z")
The Doctor and other Time Lords have described it in dialogue as a “burnt-orange sky” which, I suppose, is a _sort_ of reddish color. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/13 "2013-05-31T00:46:58Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Seems like they did something similar with an alien invasion, too…but I quit playing that game several years ago, and may be confusing two (or more) events. It was greenish yellow not red for Rikti invasions as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/14 "2013-05-31T02:50:56Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > I think the first encounter I had with a blood-red sky was the video game Doom for the PC. Not all the levels had red skies and not all levels even had a sky at all that you could see (many of them were indoors completely), but I remember [at least one level](http://xkvplq.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pRFf77oallhCD3xs6wF3f7IsLjEKhuCjAcAC_07F_MvSpOsaVXkHI89r5h5Imlz2HG-xIqJ66A4vOBLmpDF12zNDetxJExGbk/Screenshot_Doom_20100202_165900.png) that had a deep blood red sky that always frightened me as a kid. The reason for the red sky in Doom 1 is that it’s supposed to take place on Mars (and I’m sure because it also looked hellish!) Not quite a red sky, more orange, but [here’s how the squid fight was originally shot](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l22tsktu8D8) for Disney’s 20,000 Leagues. Doesn’t make it disturbing so much as, ah, shitty! Compared to the second ‘raging storm at night’ version anyway… ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/15 "2013-05-31T03:03:25Z")
Out of curiosity what kind of atmosphere would result in the sky being red instead of blue? Would it still be breathable? Wow does the star type come into play? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/16 "2013-05-31T03:19:08Z")
Forest fires on Earth can cause red skies, as can sandstorms with a lot of red sand/dust in them. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/17 "2013-05-31T03:34:04Z")
It isn’t visual media but what about the song Red Skies Over Paradise by Fischer-Z? Check out the album cover. > **[Red Skies over Paradise](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Skies_over_Paradise)** > > Red Skies over Paradise is a 1981 album by Fischer-Z. This was the last album released under the classic line-up, despite the departure of keyboardist Steve Skolnik. This album featured many songs about politics and several references to the Cold War, the album title and cover in particular. The album received positive reviews from fans and encouraged band leader John Watts to pursue a solo career, thus ending Fischer-Z until its revival in 1987. Two of these songs were used in Deutschland 83. ... ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/18 "2013-05-31T06:00:43Z")
For some reason “natural” looking red/orange skies (like the gettysberg and october sky posters) don’t cause any sort of reaction for me. Even fictional skies that aren’t a deep, unnatural red, are fine. But there are some shades of a red sky that just make my skin crawl! brrrr… Thanks for the responses everyone 🙂 That red skies over paradise album cover really gives me the willies, for example. _urk_ ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/19 "2013-05-31T16:02:56Z")
_Stargate SG-1_ has an episode entitled “Red Sky”, in which the sky of the planet they visit does indeed [turn red](http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081218083161/stargate/images/4/4a/RedSky01.jpg). Since the red color is the result of a shift in the local star’s output, it has the logical consequence of illuminating scenes on the planet in reddish light as well. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692/20 "2013-05-31T16:31:14Z")
Red sky at morning, sailors take warning Red sky at night, sailors’ delight Red sky in fiction, **drewtwo** feels friction. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/red-skies-in-fiction/659692.md?page=2)