Oddbean new post about login | logout WHY IS THE SKY BLUE?
Optical refraction.
What's that?
I've no idea, I was drunk last night and thought it was a reasonable explanation as to why the sky is blue. The atoms that make up the sky absorb all light, except the blue bit of the spectrum, which it reflects. As to why we "perceive" it as being blue is a whole other matter, you're moving into philosophy and neuroscience there.
When the sun is focused on the other side of the planet, the sky is black. When the astronauts go out into space, its all black, not blue.
When there is no sunlight, by definition, there is no "light", so no refraction, hence, black. Space is a vacuum, so, no atoms, nothing to refract the light. When an astronaut is in space looking back at the earth, there is a hazy blue glow, that is the atmosphere, all the gasses in the air refracting the sunlight.
I'm assuming you're a reasonably intelligent guy (You're on here, so that's your due credit). It's pretty basic physics🤷🏻♂️.
The sky should be coloured black instead of blue, don't you think?
I've written quite clearly, why it appears blue but yes, of course, it should absolutely be black. Case closed👍🏻.