Home ScienceEarth Sciences Subscribe to RSS

Why Does The Sky Go Red At Sunset?

Answer Question

3 Answers - Sort by: Date | Rating

    At sunset (or sunrise) the sun is very low in the sky.  This means, effectively, that the light from the sun has to travel through more of the earth's atmosphere to reach our eyes.  


    The sun emits light in the main colours of red, green, blue, ultraviolet. Red has the longest wavelength, which is bigger than most of the molecules in the atmosphere.  As a result, red light passes straight through air molecules, it doesn't get reflected somewhere else (or 'scattered').   So red light travels in a straight line to our eyes.

    Blue and green light have shorter wave-lengths, so they get scattered more easily.  The more atmosphere they pass through, the more scattering happens.  When the sun is low in the sky the blue and green light simply can't travel straight to our eyes because they get scattered away.  This leaves the red light to come straight through, and thus the sun itself often appears especially red at sunset.  Remember that red light travels in a straight line to our eyes, but away from the sun the light gets more grey as more of the scattered blue, green and UV light reaches our eyes from these areas.
    3 0

    Scavenger 

    answered 3 years ago

    Nice answer and very detailed .
    Report
    Wesley214

    Wesley214

    commented 4 months ago

    I thought it was the pollution...
    Report
    Call1234

    Call1234

    commented 4 months ago

      No need detail, we can say due to sun color is like fire, so it makes the sky is red when sun is down or rise.
      0 2

      Zubairamin 

      answered 2 years ago

        Because they getting the air inside of it and energy if you dont believe it then that fine but that secret of earth ! Ask god than i can read god and see him in my life!
        0 3
        Guest

        Guest 

        answered 4 months ago

        I think you need to go to school again and this time maybe pay attension ! Scavenger has the right answer .
        Report
        Wesley214

        Wesley214

        commented 4 months ago

        Like, seriously
        Report
        Freakish

        Freakish

        commented 4 months ago

        How is that even true maybe you ned to research like that peson did when they wrote that good clear explanation about why the sky is red at sunset and also no -one can see god in their life and no one can read him
        Report
        Sassydiva

        Sassydiva

        commented 2 weeks ago

        More From This Author

        More

           
           

          Ask a Question via Twitter

          Send a question to @askblurtit and we will publish it online and send you a reply everytime you receive an answer.

          Blurtit Store

          Get T-shirts, hoodies, caps and more at the Blurtit store

          Blurtit International