Why is the sky blue?

Why is the sky blue?

The sky looks blue because of a process called Rayleigh scattering. When sunlight enters the atmosphere, it scatters in all directions. Blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels in shorter, smaller waves.

But why does the blue light scatter more?

Great question! Blue light waves are shorter and smaller than other colors, which makes them scatter more when they hit the tiny particles in the air.

What about during sunset? Why does it look orange?

During sunset, the sunlight has to pass through more air, which scatters the shorter blue wavelengths out of our line of sight. The longer red and orange wavelengths become more visible, making the sky look orange and red.

So, is the sky always blue?

Not always! The sky can change colors depending on the time of day, weather conditions, and pollution levels. Sometimes it can be gray, pink, or even purple!