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space is black so why is the sky blue

2007-11-30 11:17:25 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics Astronomy & Space

11 answers

Here is something interesting to think about: When you look at the sky at night, it is black, with the stars and the moon forming points of light on that black background. So why is it that, during the day, the sky does not remain black with the sun acting as another point of light? Why does the daytime sky turn a bright blue and the stars disappear?

The first thing to recognize is that the sun is an extremely bright source of light -- much brighter than the moon. The second thing to recognize is that the atoms of nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere have an effect on the sunlight that passes through them.

There is a physical phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering that causes light to scatter when it passes through particles that have a diameter one-tenth that of the wavelength (color) of the light. Sunlight is made up of all different colors of light, but because of the elements in the atmosphere the color blue is scattered much more efficiently than the other colors.

So when you look at the sky on a clear day, you can see the sun as a bright disk. The blueness you see everywhere else is all of the atoms in the atmosphere scattering blue light toward you. (Because red light, yellow light, green light and the other colors aren't scattered nearly as well, you see the sky as blue.)

2007-11-30 11:19:54 · answer #1 · answered by frogskin13 4 · 6 0

Air is full of particles and whats known as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). These particles scatter incoming solar radiation in a process known as rayleigh scattering. The incoming light bounces around in the atmosphere. When the sun is higher in the sky, only short wavelngths make it through due to their intensity. and since the visible color blue has a short wavelength, the sky appears blue. This is why at sunrise and sunset the sky will appear red and orange. Red and orange have really long wavelengths and they are viewed by a person at nearly tangential degree to the planet, so reds and oranges are scattered more than blues and violets.

2007-11-30 11:35:03 · answer #2 · answered by wx_guy 3 · 0 0

Light coming from the sun is what's called "white light" White light contains all the colors of the rainbow. When it enters Earth's atmosphere this light is separated into its individual colors by chemical elements in the atmosphere and scattered across the sky. Nitrogen is the most abundant element in our atmosphere, and that element scatters the color blue across our sky more than the other colors. In space, there is no atmosphere to separate colors from the white light and space looks black.

2007-11-30 11:22:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

you're question is "why is the sky blue"? This is best answered if we were to break this question down to two parts. First part is 'why'. This has eluded mankind for eons. It starts with 3 year olds asking 'why? And all mankind has asked the 'why' question since time memorial. Why is this, why is that. And they expect someone to answer. Even if they don't know. 'WHY'. And the second part of you're question was 'is the sky blue'? The answer is YES.
No, seriously, the above have you're answer. It has something to do with nitrogen and wave lingth. which I too had also wondered untill I asked about 3 months ago on questions and answers.

2007-11-30 11:49:22 · answer #4 · answered by Jackolantern 7 · 0 0

the quick answer is, the sky is blue because this is the colour of the ambience. The longer yet better best answer is, the sky is blue with the aid of rayleigh scattering. you spot, image voltaic is a mixture of each of the colors, or wavelengths of sunshine. even as this mixed user-friendly strikes an merchandise, the article absorbs most of the wavelengths (colorations) and "reflects" lower back what it would not take in. the colour you spot the article as is the wavelength that change into pondered lower back. as an celebration, a pink merchandise is soaking up each wavelength of color except pink. a similar problem is taking position once you spot the sky as blue. The mixed image voltaic is shining by ability of the ambience. most of the wavelengths go by ability of yet blue kind off "bounces off" the molecules like a pin ball bouncing round in a pin ball pastime and separates it making it seen to you.

2016-10-25 05:39:15 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Our sky appears blue to us because of an effect called "scattering". Light waves of all visible colors enter our atmosphere, but the blue light wavelength just happens to be the right size to get scattered by all the stuff in our atmosphere (dust, air molecules, water) and this renders it visible to our eyes.

2007-11-30 13:39:22 · answer #6 · answered by kyeri y 4 · 0 0

The blue you see in the sky is the wavelength of light that is scattered by the nitrogen in our atmosphere. All other wavelengths make it thru.

2007-11-30 14:27:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

This question is asked so many times a day that it boogles the mind that people continue to post 'because of reflection off the water'. It's called Rayleigh scattering, people. Get it straight.

2007-11-30 11:23:24 · answer #8 · answered by eri 7 · 2 0

The gases in the atmosphere give it the color.

2007-11-30 11:19:56 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 1

God made it that way!!!!!!!
I luv the color blue in the syk

2007-11-30 11:20:40 · answer #10 · answered by blue eyed 2 · 1 4

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