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LESSON 5 · Physics in the Real World

The Violet Question

Violet light has a shorter wavelength than blue, so it actually scatters even more. By the physics alone, the sky should be violet. Three reasons it is not:

  1. The Sun emits less violet light than blue — the solar spectrum peaks in blue-green
  2. Your eyes are far more sensitive to blue than violet
  3. The atmosphere absorbs some violet light high up before it reaches you