Why is the Sun red today

Why does the sun turn red in the morning and at sunset?
In the solar spectrum, red light has the longest wavelength.

The white light that comes to us from the Sun is the result of the superposition of light waves of different wavelengths, as shown by the phenomenon of rainbows.

Each color of the rainbow corresponds to a light with a specific frequency and wavelength: violet light has the highest frequency and a short wavelength, while red light at the other end of the spectrum has the lowest frequency and longest wavelength.

There is a wavelength.

A common property of waves is their ability to overcome obstacles as long as they are no longer than the wavelength.

For example, a sea wave that hits a small boat during its course crosses it without change, whereas if it finds an oil tanker in its path, it hits it: the tanker The amplitude of the wave is greater than the length of the wave.

Similarly, sunlight entering Earth’s atmosphere encounters several small obstacles in its path: tiny particles floating in the air, such as dust and smoke.

The wavelength of light waves corresponding to red color is longer and hence can pass through these particles without any damage and reach our eyes.

Instead, green and blue light waves, which are of much shorter wavelength, are blocked.

The reason this effect occurs at dawn and dusk is purely geometric in nature: when the Sun is low on the horizon, its light must penetrate much thicker than the atmosphere to reach us at noon.

The number of airborne particles colliding with sunlight at sunrise and sunset is much greater than at noon when the Sun is directly above us.

For the same reason, in cities with heavily polluted air, the sun appears orange even in daylight, while in high mountains it is always white.

What scientist thinks about it?


The white light that comes to us from the Sun is the result of the superposition of light waves of different wavelengths, as shown by the phenomenon of rainbows.

Each color of the rainbow corresponds to a light with a specific frequency and wavelength:

Violet light has the highest frequency and a short wavelength, while red light at the other end of the spectrum has the lowest frequency and longest wavelength. There is a wavelength.

A common property of waves is their ability to overcome obstacles as long as they are no longer than the wavelength.

For example, a sea wave that hits a small boat during its course leaves it unchanged, whereas if it finds an oil tanker in its path, it hits it: the length of the wave in the tanker has more dimensions.

Similarly, sunlight entering Earth’s atmosphere encounters several small obstacles in its path: tiny particles floating in the air, such as dust and smoke.

The wavelength of light waves corresponding to red color is longer and hence can pass through these particles without any damage and reach our eyes.

Instead, green and blue light waves, which are of much shorter wavelength, are blocked.

The reason this effect occurs at dawn and dusk is purely geometric in nature: when the Sun is low on the horizon, its light must penetrate much thicker than the atmosphere to reach us at noon.

The number of airborne particles colliding with sunlight at sunrise and sunset is much greater than at noon when the Sun is directly above us.

For the same reason, in cities with highly polluted air, the sun appears orange even in daylight, while in high mountains it is always white.

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