Book 7, Question 103
Why Does the Sky Look Redder After Wildfires or Dust?
The sky looks redder after wildfires or dust storms because extra tiny particles in the air change the light. Smoke and dust scatter and filter sunlight, taking out blues and greens and letting the reds and oranges through. Particles remix the palette!
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 7
More fun facts
- Wildfire smoke can act like a filter, making the Sun look dim and red.
- Smoke particles block and scatter bluer colors, so the light that gets through is redder.
- Even when smoke makes the Sun look dim, it is never safe to stare directly at it.
- Some volcanic plumes are full of particles about 1 micron wide, the same size as a wave of red light. Those particles scatter red light and let blue through.
- People saw blue moons in 1983 after the El Chichón volcano in Mexico erupted.
- Satellites can measure how many tiny particles, called aerosols, are floating in the air.
Sources: NASA Science, NASA Science, NASA
Questions kids ask
Is it safe to look at the Sun through smoke?
No. It is never safe to stare directly at the Sun.
Can particles make the sky look blue instead of red?
Yes. Particles of just the right size from some volcanoes scatter red light and let blue through.