Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue and not green, purple, or any other color? The answer lies in the magic of light and the atmosphere.
Sunlight looks white, but it’s actually made up of all the colors of the rainbow. When sunlight enters Earth’s atmosphere, it collides with gas molecules, causing a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering. This scattering affects shorter wavelengths (blue and violet) more than longer wavelengths (red and yellow).
But wait — if both blue and violet scatter, why don’t we see a purple sky? That’s because our eyes are more sensitive to blue light and less to violet. Plus, some violet light is absorbed by the ozone layer.
Fun fact: During sunrise and sunset, the sky appears red and orange because the sunlight has to pass through more of the atmosphere, scattering away blue light and leaving behind warmer colors.
The next time you look up at the sky, remember — it’s not just beautiful; it’s science in action!