Boy i'm going to regret this

[John Phoenix]

I just read the thread about the color of the sky not being blue. I was going to add this comment but the thread was closed.

 

I am surprised that no one mentioned the fact that Yes, the sky may not be blue.

 

Color is only what our eyes perceive because of the wavelengths being reflected back to our eyes from the object.

 

Newton observed that color is not inherent in objects. Rather, the surface of an object reflects some colors and absorbs all the others. We perceive only the reflected colors.

 

Thus, red is not "in" an apple. The surface of the apple is reflecting the wavelengths we see as red and absorbing all the rest. An object appears white when it reflects all wavelengths and black when it absorbs them all.

 

If your eyes were made to perceive wavelengths differently, you may see the color of the sky as black, purple or green.

 

Also it is entirely possible that people with color blindness may see the color of the sky as anything other than blue.

 

Therefore the color of the sky is not an absolute but rather a function of the observer.

 

This doesn't conflict with the findings of a spectrometer because isn't it correct that the device was designed to perceive color the same way a humans normal healthy eye does?

 

I just thought this should be pointed out since no one mentioned it before the thread suffered it's untimely death.

Edited September 4, 2009 by John Phoenix

[iNow]

The color of the sky can be measured by different observers to have the same frequency of light... a specific nanometer. Ergo, it's color is no longer a subjective classification determined by observers, and is instead an objective measurable quantity that will not differ... regardless of who performs the measurement.

[John Phoenix]

I do understand your point because that's saying that you can technically know what color the sky is by measuring the frequency. The poster of the first thread says he maintains the sky is not blue. All i'm saying is that for him.. it may not be blue.. who knows.. perhaps he's color blind.

 

I often wonder is an alien came to visit us that has eyes designed different than we do because of the conditions they evolved from, if they will see color the same as us.

[iNow]

I made an error above, and meant to say wavelength where I said frequency, but... either way... The poster of that other thread was just a silly kid trying to look clever. When all was said and done, he meant that the sky is darker at night than during the day, and was all proud that he'd "pulled one over" on us. It was just a waste of time and server space in the end.

 

As for your questions about aliens, I have no doubt they would experience the sky differently than we do. After all, even other animals who evolved right here on earth experience it differently... even your domestic dog or cat will not see the same thing you see...

 

Which is why we use the wavelength when discussing it in physics, since that is consistent and measurable and will be the same regardless of who or what is doing the measurement.

[swansont]

If you don't see the sky as being blue, it's not because of physics. And this is the physics section.

[Mr Skeptic]

I often wonder is an alien came to visit us that has eyes designed different than we do because of the conditions they evolved from, if they will see color the same as us.

 

It would just take longer for us to teach them what blue is, especially if they don't realize we don't see ultraviolet.

 

--

iNow, isn't the color of light dependent on the frequency rather than wavelength? Which changes when light passes into a denser medium, frequency or wavelength?

[iNow]

iNow, isn't the color of light dependent on the frequency rather than wavelength?

 

No.

 

http://eosweb.larc.nasa.gov/EDDOCS/Wavelengths_for_Colors.html

[TheStones]

lol the sky isnt blue.... bottom line. we just see it that way... our eyes basically trick us.... there is nothing above us that is matter that is blue. it all has to do with our atmosphere tricking us.

[insane_alien]

the atmosphere doesn't trick us. it scatters blue light more than red light so we see blue.

 

the matter you claim isn't there is called 'air' you may have heard of this substance. perhaps even come into direct contact with it. it is also observable that if you increase your altitude the sky will get less blue as there is less air above you.

 

the blue colour is real, you need to be a moron who doesn't count evidence as having much relevance either way to say otherwise.

[StringJunky]

I found a link provided by D.H. in the Physics Forum (the other one) on this subject:

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8631798/