My friend tells me you can see stars from the bottom of a well in daytime. Is he talking cr ap? If he isn't could someone tell me why because I've got a degree in Physics and I can't think of a reason why!
2007-08-16 06:14:15 · 10 answers · asked by tuthutop 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Of course you can't. The atmosphere scatters light in all directions including down the well, and would mask the light from any stars.
2007-08-16 06:19:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, its not true, this is another "urban myth" that takes advantage of your lack of access to a deep well to test the precept.
The reason you normally dont see stars during daytime is because of atmospheric light scattering in the high atmosphere. Even if you went down into a well the high atmospheric scattering would still overwelm the starlight.
If going into a well did work, then using a long tube to look at the daytime sky would also work the same way, and it doesn't, as you can verify without going down into a well.
The only star that you might see from the bottom of a well during the day would be the sun. So if you make a bet be sure this aspect is covered.
2007-08-16 15:44:12 · answer #2 · answered by Radzewicz 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes and from inside an old smokestack. The well (or smokestack) blocks out the scattered light from all directions except for a very narrow angle. For all practical purposes your eye is looking at a black sky. Stars can indeed be seen in the daylight. I have done this.
Now someone call 911, I'm stuck!
Since a lot of you younger students seem to think on your butts and NOT do anything, I challenge you to actually get off your computer chairs and do this. It works. You must be in a well of depth of 150 feet or inside a smokestack of similar height.
See the reference below. If you have ever heard of Prof. Julius Sumner Miller, This guy is his successor.
2007-08-16 13:24:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Is your "friend" trying to get you to climb into a well....?! And then run away and steal your house and not come back for a hundred years. And you would have to live of frogs and slime and you would grow webbed toes and have a really long tongue to catch flies. And you would never get married except to a millipede and that doesn't really count.
So I think you should put your friend in the well first. Then cover it with a lid and run away laughing. It's the only way to be sure.
2007-08-16 13:24:09 · answer #4 · answered by samthesuperfurryanimal 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The reason seeing stars in the day is hard is due the fact that the blue sky (from scattered sunlight) creates a background luminosity resulting in poor contrast. The well does not change this.
2007-08-16 21:35:46 · answer #5 · answered by Dr. R 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
to much light at the top needs to be dark to see stars. Unless some one drops a bucket on your head,
2007-08-16 13:21:50 · answer #6 · answered by fuzzykitty 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You have a physics degree but you have to post this question on yahoo answers??? What school graduates people with less knowledge than a first grader?
2007-08-16 13:27:47 · answer #7 · answered by kennyk 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I have heard the same thing.
I have no actual opinion - but collected some links that discuss the issue.
The consensus seems to be NO - it is not possible.
2007-08-16 14:36:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No you can't
Because the well doesn't do anything like changing the brightness or something except narrowing your visual field.
2007-08-16 13:25:31 · answer #9 · answered by MFH2203 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think he is telling you lies.
2007-08-16 13:25:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋