Re: [Phys-l] sun's true color

["LaMontagne, Bob" <RLAMONT@providence.edu>]

??? Went to a star party last week and one of the items showcased was a double star where one was yellow-orange and the other was green. Both had vivid color when the telescope was racked slightly out of focus.
 
Bob at PC

________________________________

From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu on behalf of Dan L. MacIsaac
Sent: Mon 8/25/2008 9:11 AM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] sun's true color



Seeing is perception, see
"Why aren't there any green stars?"
third video down at

http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/ask_astronomer/
video/

Dan MacIsaac, Associate Professor of Physics, SUNY-Buffalo State College
222SciBldg BSC, 1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo NY 14222 USA 716-878-3802
<macisadl@buffalostate.edu>  <http://PhysicsEd.BuffaloState.edu <http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/> >
Physics Graduate Coordinator & Dept Chair Pro Tem (acting Jan-Aug 2008)




On Aug 24, 2008, at 9:21 PM, Anthony Lapinski wrote:

> Does anyone know the actual color of the Sun? The Sun certainly 
> appears
> yellowish, and then Wein's Law can be used to calculate its surface
> temperature (about 6000 °C). Textbooks confirm this result.
>
> However, I read an article in Astronomy magazine that the Sun is 
> actually
> pure white. Our daytime sky is blue since our atmosphere scatters blue
> light the most. This leaves sunlight with less blue and hence a 
> yellowish
> tint. The article said the color of snow closely matches the Sun's 
> actual
> color because snow reflects the sky's blueness as well as sunlight.
>
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