WHY IS THE SKY BLUE?

The sun light contains all the colors.

The colors are separated into two types.

• the longwaves (red)

•the shortwaves (blue)

The sunlight moves through

the atmosphere.

Most of the longest

wavelengths pass straight

through.

However, much of the shorter wavelength light is scattered by the

molecules in the atmosphere.

Tiny gas molecules in

the atmosphere scatter the blue wave, creating an

effect that we see as a blue

sky.

So the sky isn’t blue but only appears blue.

As you look at the sky, you see the scattered light of

blue.

In space, there is no air. None of the light gets

scattered and the “sky” looks dark and black.

At night the sky is black because there

isn’t any light.

By

Anna Alexandrou

and

Rafael Oliveira