Why is the Sky Really Blue?

Sky blue color results from air molecules scattering light. Short wavelengths like blues bounce around more, while longer ones such as red can just wiggle through more freely. Rayleigh scattering was first developed by Lord Rayleigh in 1871. The Sun One major contributor to why the sky appears blue is due to sunlight hitting Earth’s…

Will This Week’s Lunar Eclipse Be a Blood Moon?

Contrary to popular perception, this week’s lunar eclipse will not produce a blood moon; rather it will appear slightly reddish-tinged. Due to Earth’s atmosphere, which preferentially diffuses short wavelengths of sunlight while permitting longer ones through, making the moon appear orange or deep red in color. It’s a total lunar eclipse This week’s lunar eclipse,…

Why is the Sky and Water Blue?

Many people incorrectly assume that the sky and water appear blue because of reflection; this is not actually true; their hue comes from something called Rayleigh scattering. As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere it is scattered by gases such as oxygen and nitrogen, with shorter wavelengths (blues) more easily scattered than longer ones (reds). This…

Why is the Sky Blue Meme?

Skyblue is an NEET who enjoys drinking excessive quantities of Pepsi. She also has an unusually large belly. Chikiababy1 designed this character and her subsequent mod as an indirect response to NuSky, her canonical version. Answer: Rayleigh scattering explains why the sky is blue. As sunlight hits Earth and hits molecules in its atmosphere, its…

What is the Colour of the Sky?

People generally know the sky is blue, yet few understand its fascinating science behind this optical effect. Color results from waves passing through an object being reflected, refracted or scattered back onto itself with some frequencies being absorbed while others pass right through. Lord Rayleigh first noted that atmospheric particles scatter blue light more strongly…

How Does the Sky Color Blue?

The sky’s vibrant blue hue results from scattering of sunlight by Earth’s atmosphere, mostly composed of nitrogen and oxygen molecules smaller than wavelengths of light; they scatter blue light more effectively. Violet and red wavelengths tend to scatter less, thus leaving blue wavelengths for our eyes. Rayleigh Scattering Lord Rayleigh discovered in the 1800s that…