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Why does Earth seem always sunny from space?

Category: Astronomy

Introduction:

From space, it might seem like Earth is always bathed in sunlight. But why is that? We know that Earth rotates on its axis, so different parts of the planet should be facing away from the Sun at any given time. So, why does Earth appear constantly illuminated from space?

Main Explanation:

The reason for this phenomenon lies in the way light interacts with Earth's atmosphere. When sunlight enters the atmosphere, it undergoes a process called scattering. Scattering occurs when light waves bounce off particles in the atmosphere, such as molecules and aerosols. This process causes the light to spread out in all directions.

Scattering is most effective for shorter wavelengths of light, such as blue and violet light. This is why the sky appears blue during the day. However, longer wavelengths of light, such as red and orange light, are less affected by scattering. This means that more of this light reaches space, giving Earth a全体的にオレンジがかった色合い seemingly permanent sunny glow.

In addition, the Earth's curvature also contributes to its constant illumination. As sunlight travels through the atmosphere, it is refracted, or bent. This causes the light to follow a curved path. As a result, even areas of the Earth that are facing away from the Sun can still receive some sunlight.

Conclusion:

Therefore, Earth appears always sunny from space due to the scattering of sunlight in the atmosphere and the planet's curvature. The scattering process selectively filters out shorter wavelengths of light, leaving longer wavelengths to dominate, giving Earth a permanent golden glow.