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The color of the sky and the vibrant hues of sunsets are both due to the scattering of sunlight by the atmosphere, specifically a process called Rayleigh scattering.
Why the Sky is Blue:
While appearing white, sunlight is actually made up of many different colors, each with a different wavelength. As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, it interacts with molecules and small particles in the air.
- Rayleigh scattering affects shorter wavelengths (blue and violet light) than longer wavelengths (red and orange).
- Although violet light is scattered even more than blue, our eyes are less sensitive to violet and more to blue, and some of the violet light is absorbed by the upper atmosphere. Therefore, the sky appears predominantly blue during the day.
Why Sunsets are Colorful:
At sunset (or sunrise), the sun is lower on the horizon, meaning its light has to pass through a thicker layer of the earth’s atmosphere than when it’s overhead. As a result:
- The shorter wavelengths (blue and violet light) are scattered out of your line of sight.
- The longer wavelengths (reds, oranges, and yellows) are less scattered and dominate the light that reaches your eyes, giving sunsets their warm, vibrant colors.
Factors such as dust, pollution, and moisture in the atmosphere can also influence the intensity of sunset colors, further scattering light and creating even more vivid displays.
- hector pascua/picture: Image by Willfried Wende from Pixabay
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