Why Is The Sun Red When The Smoke Is Grey?

[femno]

I was having a bit of a family discussion today, and now im wondering...why is the sun red or bright orange when the bushfire smoke is grey? Shouldnt the sun just be..well grey and not as bright as usual? why orange?

Is there some scientific explanation for this?

Does anyone know?

[R32Big_boy]

its the light refracting through the smoke. Its the particles in the smoke that make it look orange.

[R31Nismoid]

^^ he used bigger words than me

So no point me trying

[blackrex]

Explains it all. Why is the Sky red/blue.

[akeenan]

its the light refracting through the smoke. Its the particles in the smoke that make it look orange.

^^ he used bigger words than me

So no point me trying

big words?? ill remember for any future posts i make to use small words

Edited January 9, 2007 by akeenan

[femno]

The only big words i spotted were 'refracting' and 'particles' haha.

I still dont really see how it would work but i guess it does so thats it.

[R31Nismoid]

big words?? ill remember for any future posts i make to use small words

lol

refracting... i could give you a laymans explanation only, and it would probably 50 words to describe that one :sorcerer:

[RNGTR]

You should see the smoke down here where I am Ive had Ash from the fires falling on my cars on & off for nearly a month now....

[AutoTrust]

Well, I asked God and he said, "its because no one wants a grey sun". Then we had an in depth discussion about the Egyptian god of the sun Ra and how he really isn't pulling his weight these days. He also told me that my pet rabbits had to die on boxing day many years ago because they were developing into a super intelligent species of evil rabbit overlords hell bent on the destruction of life as we know it and it was messing with his poker night. But that's another story. oh and what "mister big words" said also has some merit within the scientific community

[R32Big_boy]

Mr big words has a big foot for your arse danny.

[AutoTrust]

Mr big words has a big foot for your arse danny.

And I have a big ass for your foot!

I have to stop licking cane toads!

[x2shy]

I would have thought it was _similar_ reason to why sunsets are red but not truely the same reason.

There would be less light coming thorugh the smoke therefore it appears red, not yellow/white as the sun does.

Basically, the light is defused through the smoke.

[femno]

Fair enough but where does the RED or orange actually come from? the smoke is grey...it somehow contains RED or orange particles??

Maybe we just put it down to some sort of phenomenon?