Why is sunrise brighter than sunset

Our planet, Earth, moves in space with seven other planets nearby. They all spin in circles on the spot, but also move in much larger circles around the Sun. When the Sun is setting in Australia, this means our side of the planet is turning away from the Sun.

Daytime happens when we have twirled to face the Sun directly — so its sunbeams travel very fast directly to us. So we know why the sky is bright during the day and dark at night. In fact, all things are made of molecules, including you and me.

But each molecule is much, much smaller than a grain of sand. The molecules then begin to play with the light — bouncing it back and forth between themselves. Blue light has a shorter wavelength than red or pink light. This is why blue and violet light reaches our eyes from all directions on a clear day. More atmosphere means more molecules to scatter the violet and blue light away from your eyes. If the path is long enough, all of the blue and violet light scatters out of your line of sight.

The other colors continue on their way to your eyes. This is why sunsets are often yellow, orange, and red. Tags: curiosities , weather. This is why blue and violet light reaches our eyes from all directions on a clear day. But because we can't see violet very well, the sky appears blue. More atmosphere means more molecules to scatter the violet and blue light away from your eyes. If the path is long enough, all of the blue and violet light scatters out of your line of sight.

The other colors continue on their way to your eyes. This is why sunsets are often yellow, orange, and red. Materials provided by University of Wisconsin - Madison. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.