Sir James Jeans was a British physicist and astronomer known for his popular science books. His talent lay in translating difficult scientific subjects into easily understandable language for popular readers. The sky appears blue because shorter wavelengths like violet and blue light scatter more readily than red wavelengths from air molecules and particles – this…
Imagine our solar system without Saturn and her spectacular rings; but unfortunately they won’t last forever. Studies conducted over the past three years show that Saturn’s iconic rings are rapidly disappearing into its core at an astonishingly rapid rate – enough water is being lost each half hour for this “ring rain” phenomenon to fill…
As early as 1500, Leonardo da Vinci attempted to understand why the sky was blue. He kept a notebook that documented sunlight passing through wood smoke, and appears to have grasped light scattering phenomena. The sky appears blue because shorter blue wavelengths are scattered more effectively by atmospheric particles than longer red wavelengths. Sunlight As…
As sunlight enters Earth’s atmosphere, its light is dispersed through gases and particles in the atmosphere by various gases and particles; light toward the blue end of the spectrum is scattered more widely than red end light, giving Earth its signature blue hue. As writers, it is our responsibility to pay close attention to reader…
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has been studying Saturn’s rings and moons for 13 years, and recently released findings provide insight into their formation, evolution, and how they change over time. New research suggests the rings may be much younger than scientists previously assumed, based on an association between mass of rings and how quickly they become…
What is Bluesky? Bluesky may resemble Twitter at first glance, with users being able to post up to 300-character messages and toggle between an algorithmic feed and chronological feed. But Bluesky stands apart by being decentralized compared to Mastodon which requires joining servers, giving a similar experience like Reddit but allows users to create their…
Astronomers have long observed Saturn’s rings falling into its atmosphere in what’s known as “ring rain”, providing new insight. Simulations by MIT’s Cassini mission, which flew right through them during its death dive into Saturn in 2017, may shed more light on the process. On March 23rd 2025, Saturn’s rings will temporarily vanish from view…
Blue skies are beautiful, soothing, and inspiring – offering us our daily dose of motivation. Have you ever found yourself asking why the sky is blue? Many curious individuals do, and while there may be several reasons for its color, one in particular stands out: atmospheric conditions. The Sun A clear blue sky symbolizes hope,…
As sunlight passes through Earth’s atmosphere, it becomes blue due to scattering caused by Rayleigh Scattering as well as other effects. Light rays are dispersed into all directions by oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the atmosphere, with blue wavelengths dispersing more widely than red ones – giving sky its distinctive hue. Rayleigh Scattering As light…
