Pantone’s Color of the Year Is Mesmerizing

Are Violets Blue?

We're all familiar with the romantic poem: "Roses are red, Violets are blue, sugar is sweet, And so are you." Even so, this poem leads us to wonder, are violets really blue?

Violet, as far as the visible spectrum of light is concerned (you know, like the rainbow: ROYGBIV), falls between blue and (the invisible) ultraviolet light. On the color wheel, violet is placed between red and blue. The original poem however, by Sir Edmund Spenser, read: "It was upon a Sommers shynie day, When Titan faire his beames did display, In a fresh fountaine, farre from all mens vew, She bath'd her brest, the boyling heat t'allay; She bath'd with roses red, and violets blew, And all the sweetest flowres, that in the forrest grew."

Which means an incorrect translation of Old English has lead us to question whether violets are blue.

Violet Skies

It's common for children to ask "Why is the sky blue?" But if they're lucky enough to see the sky during a warm summer night right after sunset, they might ask "Why is the sky purple?" which is probably just as complicated to explain. If you'd like to challenge your teaching skills instead of just giving the typical, "It's just the way it is" answer, then we've got quite the explanation waiting for you.

The answer? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

"The traditional way that people teach this subject is that sunlight is scattered — more so for shorter wavelengths than for longer ones," Glenn Smith, an engineering professor at Georgia Tech told NBC News. "The other half of the explanation is usually left out: how your eye perceives this spectrum."

Easy: Sunlight is made of all the colors of the rainbow and when light from the sun enters Earth's atmosphere, it scatters all around, creating a picture-perfect sky.

Do violet eyes exist?

Blue, green, and hazel are common eye colors, but have you ever met someone with violet or purple eyes? If you have, they're probably wearing contacts.

In 2005, the internet started a rumor about a "rare genetic mutation" called Alexandria's Genesis. The myth (which has a variety of origin stories) claims that people who are born with this condition are either born with violet or purple eyes or experience a eye-color transition when they're older. These rare people are also said to have pale skin and well-proportioned bodies that do not gain weight or produce bodily waste. How weird! But maybe Elizabeth Taylor has something to say about it?

Alexandria's Genesis may be fake, but there are quite a few real medical conditions that can affect eye color including, Fuchs Uveitis Syndrome (two different colored eyes) and Pigmentary Glaucoma.

Why is the Empire State Building purple?

One of New York's most prominent landmarks is the Empire State Building — it's basically the international icon of the New York skyline.

In 2012, the Empire State Building was revamped with a brand-new computer-driven LED light system that displays 16 million colors (which as you may or may not know, change constantly depending on the day).

The Empire State Building has been lit up in purple quite a few times this past year, including April 11, 2017; in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the New York State Police; August 9, 2017; in honor of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and November 17, 2017; in honor of the March of Dimes Foundation and World Prematurity Day.

Want to know what color the Empire State Building will be tonight? Check out the Empire State Building Tower Lights Calendar.

Purple Macarons

We'd be crazy to deny that the French have gifted us with some serious desserts including, Crêpes, Eclair au chocolat, and probably the trendiest French bakery item, Macarons (not to be confused with "Macaroons," a small cookie made with egg whites, sugar, and ground almonds or coconut).

Macarons are pretty, colorful little meringue cookies filled with ganache, buttercream, or jam. Macarons come in a variety of flavors, from pistachio to chocolate to lavender to apricot! Though we're not 100 percent sure, we'd guess that these deep purple macarons (maybe they're blueberry?) are filled with some sort of lemony custard — yum!

Purple Windflower

Anemone De Caen, also known as Windflowers, Thimbleweeds, Smell Fox, and Wood Anemone, are big and beautiful flowers that bloom in the spring. They can be red, white, purple, or yellow-green. These flowers are perennial, which means they do not bloom year-round.

Although these purply-petaled flowers are beautiful, they're toxic! If ingested, symptoms range from irritation of the mouth to vomiting and diarrhea. Windflowers can also cause inflammation and blistering if you come in contact with fresh sap.

San Francisco Victorian Houses

If you've never been to San Francisco, but you're a fan of Victorian architecture, then you might want to book a trip. San Francisco is known for its unique architectural styles, in fact Trip Advisor claims Alamo Square's famous "Painted Ladies" —a row of picturesque Victorian and Edwardian houses — is one of the most photographed locations in San Francisco.

And while we're not certain who lives here, we imagine they're pretty fun to hang out with — considering the color violet is the "color of the crown chakra," the center of spirituality and enlightenment, according to J.D. Rockefeller, author of The Complete Guide to Chakras and Auras with a Special Focus on the Third Eye. Some people, however, believe that a purple door is a sign that a witch lives there — spooky!

The Grand Canal of Venice

The beautiful and great Grand Canal (Italian: Canale Grande) of Venice, Italy, is lined by palaces, hotels, and churches. The canal itself is one of Venice's main commuter areas, as cars and other automobiles are banned throughout most parts of the city. Instead, gondolas hauling tourists, private water taxis, and motorized public-transit water buses make up the bulk of Venetian transportation.

Could you imagine how nice it would be to be floating on a gondola heading into a sunset like this? The Grand Canal is so beautiful that travel site Travelocity ranked the view from Venice's Hotel Al Ponte Antico as one of the best views in the world.

Where are the Yukon Mountains?

The Yukon Ranges comprise a vast spread of land (364,710 square feet, to be exact), from the southeastern part of Alaska to Canada. Public transit is limited when you're in Yukon territory, so if you want to sight see, a rental car is probably your best bet. There are also package tour trips available for visitors arriving off cruise ships in Skagway, Alaska. The Millennium Trail, for example, is a beautiful scenic (car-free) three-mile loop.

Although most tourists visit during the summer months, the mountains are full of life and color in the fall (late August and early September). And, if you're really lucky, you might be able to see the Northern Lights, which are usually visible around the fall and spring equinoxes.

Purple Sunset

If you're a fan of purple-and-pink sunsets (honestly, who isn't?), then you should definitely visit the Outer Banks of North Carolina this summer. Each year, millions of tourists hop in their cars and travel the distance to get a glimpse of the Outer Banks. Probably one of the prettiest sights you'll see is the sun setting on that tiny secluded strip of land known as Ocracoke Island.

If you're lucky, you might even get to see one of the wild ponies galloping down the beach or, if you're traveling by water (the Ocracoke ferry), a bottle-nosed dolphin might pop up and put on a show for you and your family.