why is the sky blue?

Question

i understand its lightwaves reflecting off molecules in the air that reflect the color blue when you look at the sky...but why when i see photos of earth from space do you see land and continents? if it is light reflecting than shouldnt you see nothing but solid blue when looking down from above?

Answer 1

The sky itself is not blue but transparent. We see this when we see satellite pictures looking down.

But the sky LOOKS blue to us because the light coming from the sky that hits our eyes has much more of the wavelengths from the blue end of the spectrum.

This is due to the way sunlight scatters in the atmosphere when it hits the air.

Have a look at the following web pages.

Answer 2

sky is blue because the blue color of the sky is due to Rayleigh scattering. As light moves through the atmosphere, most of the longer wavelengths pass straight through. Little of the red, orange and yellow light is affected by the air.

However, much of the shorter wavelength light is absorbed by the gas molecules. The absorbed blue light is then radiated in different directions. It gets scattered all around the sky. Whichever direction you look, some of this scattered blue light reaches you. Since you see the blue light from everywhere overhead, the sky looks blue.

I think the things u seeing from the photo which blue colour is ocean.

Answer 3

Its kind of like why graphite and diamond are both made of carbon, but diamond cost more. The molecules in the graphite carbon are less compressed then the diamond. Possibly this is how it is on earth. OH! land isnt reflective. There must be a direct directional reflection, and since land isnt reflective, masses are visible.

Answer 4

no because the light has different frequencies.. caused by such things like, heat reflection and absorption, cloud density and make up such as pollution filled clouds. and other natural and man made effects