his article is about Earth's sky. For other skies, see extraterrestrial skies.

For other uses, see Sky

(disambiguation).

The sky above the clouds

The sky (or celestial dome) is everything that lies above the surface of the Earth, including
the atmosphere and outer space.
In the field of astronomy, the sky is also called the celestial sphere. This is an abstract sphere,
centred on the earth, on which the Sun, stars, planets, and the Moon appear to be traveling. The
celestial sphere is conventionally divided into designated areas called constellations. Usually, the
term sky is used informally as the point of view from the Earth's surface; however, the meaning and
usage can vary. An observer on the surface of the earth can see a small part of the sky, which
appears to be a dome, also known as the sky bowl, flatter during the day than at night. [1] In some
cases, such as in discussing the weather, the sky refers to only the lower, more dense portions of
the atmosphere.
During daylight, the sky appears to be blue because air scatters more blue sunlight than red.[2][3][4][5] At
night, the sky appears to be a mostly dark surface or region spangled with stars. During the day, the
Sun, and sometimes the Moon, can be seen in the sky unless obscured by clouds. In the night sky
the Moon, planets, and stars can be similarly visible in the sky. Some of the natural phenomena
seen in the sky are clouds, rainbows, and aurorae. Lightning and precipitation can also be seen in
the sky. Birds, insects, aircraft, and kites fly in the sky. Due to human activities, smog during the day
and light pollution during the night are often seen above large cities.

Contents

 1During the day

 2Dusk and dawn
 3During the night
 4Use in weather forecasting
o 4.1Tropical cyclones
 5Use in transportation
 6Significance in mythology
 7Gallery
 8See also
 9References
 10External links

During the day

A greater proportion of blue light scattered by the atmosphere relative to red light.

Civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight. Dusk is the end of evening twilight.[6]

Dawn is the beginning of morning twilight.

See also: Atmospheric optics

Except for light that comes directly from the sun, most of the light in the day sky is caused
by scattering, which is dominated by a small-particle limit called Rayleigh Scattering. The scattering
due to molecule sized particles (as in air) is greater in the direction toward and away from the source
of light, than it is in directions perpendicular to the arrival path. [7] Scattering is significant for light at all
visible wavelengths but is stronger at the shorter (bluer) end of the visible spectrum, meaning that
the scattered light is bluer than its source, the sun. The remaining sunlight, [clarification needed] having lost
some of its short wavelength components, appears slightly less blue. [5]
Scattering also occurs even more strongly in clouds. Individual water droplets exposed to white light
will create a set of colored rings. If a cloud is thick enough, scattering from multiple water droplets
will wash out the set of colored rings and create a washed-out white color. [clarification needed][8]
The sky can turn a multitude of colors such as red, orange, purple and yellow (especially near
sunset or sunrise) when the light must pass through a much longer path (or optical depth) through
the atmosphere. Scattering effects also partially polarize light from the sky and are most pronounced
at an angle 90° from the sun. Scattered light from the horizon travels through as much as 38 times
the atmosphere as does light from the zenith, causing a blue gradient: vivid at the zenith, and pale
near the horizon.[9] Because red light also scatters if there is enough air between the source and the
observer causing parts of the sky to change color during a sunset. As the amount of atmosphere
nears infinity, the scattered light appears whiter and whiter. [10]
The sun is not the only object that may appear less blue in the atmosphere. Far away clouds or
snowy mountaintops may appear yellowish. The effect is not very obvious on clear days but is very
pronounced when clouds cover the line of sight, reducing the blue hue from scattered sunlight. [10] At
higher altitudes, the sky tends toward darker colors since scattering is reduced due to lower air
density; an extreme example is the moon, where there is no atmosphere and no scattering, making
the sky on the moon black even when the sun is visible. [11]
Sky luminance distribution models have been recommended by the International Commission on
Illumination (CIE) for the design of daylighting schemes. Recent developments relate to "all sky
models" for modelling sky luminance under weather conditions ranging from clear to overcast.[12]

Dusk and dawn

The crescent moon remains visible just moments before sunrise

Main articles: Earth's shadow, Green flash, and Sky brightness

The intensity of the sky varies greatly over the day, and the primary cause of that intensity differs as
well. When the sun is well above the horizon, direct scattering of sunlight (Rayleigh scattering) is the
overwhelmingly dominant source of light. However, in twilight, the period of time between sunset and
night and between night and sunrise, the situation is more complicated. Green flashes and green
rays are optical phenomena that occur shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when a green spot is
visible above the sun, usually for no more than a second or two, or it may resemble a green ray
shooting up from the sunset point. Green flashes are a group of phenomena that stem from different
causes,[13] most of which occur when there is a temperature inversion (when the temperature
increases with altitude rather than the normal decrease in temperature with altitude). Green flashes
may be observed from any altitude (even from an aircraft). They are usually seen at an unobstructed
horizon, such as over the ocean, but are also seen over cloud tops and mountain tops. Green
flashes may also be observed at the horizon in association with the Moon and bright planets,
including Venus and Jupiter.[14][15]
The Earth's shadow is the shadow that the Earth casts on its atmosphere. This atmospheric
phenomenon is sometimes seen twice a day, around the times of sunset and sunrise. When the
weather conditions and the observer's viewing point permit a clear sight of the horizon, the shadow
can be seen as a dark blue or greyish-blue band. Assuming the sky is clear, the Earth's shadow is
visible in the half of the sky opposite to the sunset or sunrise, and is seen as a dark blue band right
above the horizon. A related phenomenon is the "Belt of Venus" or "anti-twilight arch", a pink band
that is visible above the dark blue band of the Earth's shadow in the same part of the sky. There is
no clear dividing line between the Earth's shadow and the Belt of Venus: one colored band shades
into the other in the sky.[16][17]
Twilight is divided into three segments according to how far the sun is below the horizon, measured
in segments of 6°. After sunset the civil twilight sets in; it ends when the sun drops more than 6°
below the horizon. This is followed by the nautical twilight, when the sun is 6° and 12° below the
horizon (heights of between −6° and −12°), after which comes the astronomical twilight, defined as
the period from −12° to −18°. When the sun drops more than 18° below the horizon, the sky
generally attains its minimum brightness.[18]
Several sources can be identified as the source of the intrinsic brightness of the sky, namely airglow,
indirect scattering of sunlight, scattering of starlight, and artificial light pollution.

During the night

Main article: Night sky

Aurora borealis over Bear Lake, Alaska

The Milky Way can be seen as a large band across the night sky, and is distorted into an arch in this 360°
panorama.

The term night sky refers to the sky as seen at night. The term is usually associated
with skygazing and astronomy, with reference to views of celestial bodies such as stars, the Moon,
and planets that become visible on a clear night after the Sun has set. Natural light sources in a
night sky include moonlight, starlight, and airglow, depending on location and timing. The fact that
the sky is not completely dark at night can be easily observed. Were the sky (in the absence of
moon and city lights) absolutely dark, one would not be able to see the silhouette of an object
against the sky.
The night sky and studies of it have a historical place in both ancient and modern cultures. In the
past, for instance, farmers have used the state of the night sky as a calendar to determine when to
plant crops. The ancient belief in astrology is generally based on the belief that relationships
between heavenly bodies influence or convey information about events on Earth. The scientific study
of the night sky and bodies observed within it, meanwhile, takes place in the science of astronomy.
Within visible-light astronomy, the visibility of celestial objects in the night sky is affected by light
pollution. The presence of the Moon in the night sky has historically hindered astronomical
observation by increasing the amount of ambient lighting. With the advent of artificial light sources,
however, light pollution has been a growing problem for viewing the night sky. Special filters and
modifications to light fixtures can help to alleviate this problem, but for the best views, both
professional and amateur optical astronomers seek viewing sites located far from major urban areas.

Use in weather forecasting

See also: Weather forecasting
White cumulus clouds appeared over Dhaka, Bangladesh, when significant flooding was underway in many
parts of the country.

Along with pressure tendency, the condition of the sky is one of the more important parameters used
to forecast weather in mountainous areas. Thickening of cloud cover or the invasion of a higher
cloud deck is indicative of rain in the near future. At night, high thin cirrostratus clouds can lead
to halos around the Moon, which indicate the approach of a warm front and its associated rain.
[19]
 Morning fog portends fair conditions and can be associated with a marine layer, an indication of a
stable atmosphere.[20] Rainy conditions are preceded by wind or clouds which prevent fog formation.
The approach of a line of thunderstorms could indicate the approach of a cold front. Cloud-free skies
are indicative of fair weather for the near future. [21] The use of sky cover in weather prediction has led
to various weather lore over the centuries.[22]

Tropical cyclones

Picture of the sky in the eye of a tropical cyclone

Within 36 hours of the passage of a tropical cyclone's center, the pressure begins to fall and a veil of
white cirrus clouds approaches from the cyclone's direction. Within 24 hours of the closest approach
to the center, low clouds begin to move in, also known as the bar of a tropical cyclone, as the
barometric pressure begins to fall more rapidly and the winds begin to increase. Within 18 hours of
the center's approach, squally weather is common, with sudden increases in wind accompanied by
rain showers or thunderstorms. Within six hours of the center's arrival, rain becomes continuous.
Within an hour of the center, the rain becomes very heavy and the highest winds within the tropical
cyclone are experienced. When the center arrives with a strong tropical cyclone, weather conditions
improve and the sun becomes visible as the eye moves overhead. Once the system departs, winds
reverse and, along with the rain, suddenly increase. One day after the center's passage, the low
overcast is replaced with a higher overcast, and the rain becomes i