Science

Why is the Sky Blue and Sunset Red? The Science of Light Scattering

Discover the fascinating physics behind why our sky appears blue during the day and transforms into stunning red and orange hues at sunset through the phenomenon of light scattering.

dchouliaras
September 19, 2025 at 07:29 PM
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Why is the Sky Blue and Sunset Red? The Science of Light Scattering

The color of our sky is one of nature's most beautiful phenomena, yet it's rooted in elegant physics. During the day, our sky appears blue because of a process called Rayleigh scattering. When sunlight enters Earth's atmosphere, it collides with gas molecules and small particles. Blue light has a shorter wavelength than other colors, making it scatter more easily in all directions.

At sunset, the sky transforms into a spectacular display of reds, oranges, and yellows. This happens because the sun is lower on the horizon, and its light must travel through a thicker layer of atmosphere to reach our eyes.