2006-09-11 16:21:45 · 14 answers · asked by jolie d 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It should appear white, because the light it transmits contains every part of the visible spectrum, and when the visible spectrum isn't broken up, light will appear white. It appears yellow to us because particles in our atmosphere bounce the light around and the color that gets to our eyes the best is that yellowish color. It is hard to know the true color of the sun, because it is transmitting light rather than simply reflecting certain wave lengths back to us to be interpreted as color.
2006-09-11 16:29:00 · answer #1 · answered by V 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you are referring to a "green flash" then that is just a trick of the atmosphere.
The actual color of the sun would generally be colorless as neither hydrogen nor helium have color when cool. But the sun is not cool. It is extremely hot and so it incandescence and radiates all wavelengths of light. We often refer to that as "white light'.
However, even though the sun radiates all colors, the frequency or wavelength where it's energy is strongest (at least to our eyes) is just a little bit to the yellow side of white(compare the sun's temperature to the Planck Curve). So the sun will appear white overall and may have a slightly yellow tint to it.
As others have stated, our atmosphere also affects the perceived color of the sun and most likely that is why our eyes have evolved to be more sensitive to the color, yellow.
2006-09-12 05:03:47 · answer #2 · answered by sparc77 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Sun emits all the colors of the rainbow (and other wavelengths that our eyes cannot see) but not all colors equally. The Sun's energy peaks at a wavelength of about 550 nm, which is yellow-green according to this website: http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/EDDOCS/Wavelengths_for_Colors.html
2006-09-12 10:42:28 · answer #3 · answered by kris 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The light generated by the sun is all colors, but the surface I'm not sure about.
2006-09-15 13:16:51 · answer #4 · answered by $$$ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Our star is a G2V star, which means that it's overall color (determined by its temperature) is white. Due to atmospheric scattering, it appears yellow in our sky. Also, since yellow and green are very close together in the spectrum, they tend to mix, and the result is white. Also, our eyes are more sensitive to yellow.
There are stars that "appear" to look green. These are main sequence stars with a red giant companion, whose wavelengths cause the brighter star to look greenish (one very visible example is Antares B).
2006-09-11 19:49:16 · answer #5 · answered by swilliamrex 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The color of the sun is peachy pink with a hint of blue.
2006-09-11 16:38:06 · answer #6 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It is white, slightly yellow/orange. This is because of it's temperature (a bit short of 6000 K). "White hot" is hotter than "red hot", while "blue hot" is hotter still. Some stars are blue hot, but not our sun.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackbody_radiation
As someone mentioned, it's spectrum is also affected by its absorption lines (Hydrogen and helium).
2006-09-11 16:36:10 · answer #7 · answered by iMi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought it was Blue. That why the sky is Blue as the color filters out in the atmosphere.
2006-09-11 16:28:05 · answer #8 · answered by Snaglefritz 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the sun is every color besides that which hydrogen doesn't emit.
2006-09-11 16:23:34 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is black. We are seeing the color because it is very hot.
2006-09-11 16:27:13 · answer #10 · answered by worldneverchanges 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋