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Last Post 3/23/2020 11:18 AM by  Christina Cohen
sun
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Vayda





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3/23/2020 11:01 AM
    Why is the sun yellow/orange

    Christina Cohen



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    Posts:148
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    3/23/2020 11:18 AM
    Hi Vayda,

    Actually the Sun isn't really yellow/orange. It emits light over a range of wavelengths, including those that we can't see with our eye (like ultra-violet). The wavelengths that we can see basically combine to make the Sun look white to us (particularly when you view it outside our atmosphere, like from the space station).

    The Sun often looks yellow or orange closest to sunrise/sunset. The reason why is because the light from the Sun is traveling through more of the Earth's atmosphere during those times and the short wavelength light (violet, blue, green) is scattered more than the long wavelength light (red, orange, yellow), so the mix looks more yellow/orange to us during those times.

    And, of course, I need to put in the usual reminder not to look directly at the Sun without protective solar/eclipse glasses!

    -Christina
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