Color of the moon

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1 total messages Started by [Joel Tassie] Fri, 03 Mar 1995 05:45

#590

Author: [Joel Tassie]
Date: Fri, 03 Mar 1995 05:45

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Tell me if I have my facts straight.  The question is, "why is the sky blue?"
 I teach that the resonant frequency of the atmosphere is in the range of
blue/violet light, and this light is absorbed and re-emitted/scattered in all
directions.  This also explains why the sun appears yellow to us on the
ground.  With the blue light removed from white light, yellow remains.

Assuming this to be true, I had a thought tonight while reading a book to my
4 year old about why we have a night and a day.  "Why isn't the moon yellow
when it is high overhead?"  I understand why it starts reddish-orange on the
horizon, but why isn't the blue also scattered?  Or is it that the moon's
light being a reflection from the sun is not as intense so not able to cause
the scattering.

Just a thought.

Joel Tassie
Brookland Cayce High School
Cayce, SC
jtassie@aol.com

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