The sky changes color because of how sunlight moves through the air. During the day, the sky looks blue because the small particles in the air scatter the shorter blue wavelengths more than others. When the sun is low at sunrise or sunset, the light has to travel a longer path through the atmosphere, and most of the blue light gets scattered away. That leaves behind the warmer colors like orange and red, which is why the sky looks so colorful during these times.
Examples
- Think of blue paint being scattered in all directions in a room. When you're at one end, it looks blue; when you move to the other end, red and orange stand out more.
- Like how a rainbow forms after rain: light is scattered through water droplets in the air, revealing hidden colors.
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See also
- What Makes the Sky Change Colors at Sunrise and Sunset?
- Why does the sky appear blue during the day but red at sunset?
- Why do sunsets have different colors?
- Why Is The Sky Blue In The Daytime And Black At Night?
- Why is the sky blue and what causes sunsets to be red?