Why Was Yesterday's Sunlight Brighter Than This Morning?

In summary, the conversation discusses a perceived difference in brightness from the sunlight between two mornings in the San Francisco Bay Area. The individual did not use a light meter to measure the lighting, and it is mentioned that relying on the eyes for measurement can be unreliable. It is suggested that the difference could be due to varying amounts of aerosols in the atmosphere, and the use of a spectrometry kit is mentioned as a potential solution.
  • #1
Alan Arqueza
5
0
Yesterday morning the lighting from the sunlight made everything brighter until 11:50am Pacific Daylight time. I am in the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. Can you explain why sunlight on 13 July 2016 appears to be 'brighter' than this morning?
 
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  • #2
Alan Arqueza said:
Yesterday morning the lighting from the sunlight made everything brighter until 11:50am Pacific Daylight time. I am in the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. Can you explain why sunlight on 13 July 2016 appears to be 'brighter' than this morning?

This is vague. Did you actually measure this brightness, or are you just relying on what you see with your eyes? The latter is not terribly reliable, because it depends many circumstances (i.e. did you just walk out of a darker area when you went outside?).

Zz.
 
  • #3
I was looking out the window this morning and noticed how the brightness was not the same compared to yesterday. Yesterday morning I was looking out the window from the same room. I did not use a light meter to measure the lighting.
 
  • #4
The color temperature changed around 11:00 am - 11:50 am Pacific Daylight Time. I noticed the color temperature or hue changed around 11:50am PDT. I should have written the time.
 
  • #5
If there was a real difference and not just your eye's unreliable perception, it could probably be described by the varying amounts of aerosols in the atmosphere smog, fog, etc etcrelying just on your eyes like that would be very unreliable
 
  • #6
According to weatherunderground.com, at 11 this morning it was partly cloudy and 11 yesterday morning it was clear.
 
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  • #7
I will use the Desktop Spectrometry Kit 3.0 from Public Lab. This spectrometry kit may not be sensitive enough.
 
  • #8
Well, interesting
 

1. Why did yesterday's sunlight seem brighter than this morning?

This could be due to a number of factors, such as atmospheric conditions and cloud cover. The angle of the sun's rays can also play a role, as they may be more direct and intense in the afternoon compared to the morning.

2. Does this mean the sun was physically brighter yesterday?

No, the sun's brightness remains fairly consistent throughout the day. The perception of brightness can vary due to external factors, but the sun itself does not change in brightness.

3. Is there a scientific explanation for this difference in perceived sunlight brightness?

Yes, there are many scientific factors that can affect the perception of sunlight brightness. These can include the Earth's rotation and tilt, atmospheric conditions, and the position of the sun in the sky.

4. Why does the angle of the sun's rays affect the perceived brightness of sunlight?

The angle of the sun's rays can impact the amount of atmosphere that the sunlight must pass through before reaching our eyes. This can cause scattering and absorption of light, making the sunlight appear brighter or duller depending on the angle.

5. Can we predict when sunlight will appear brighter or duller based on these factors?

Yes, scientists use various models and data to predict the intensity and perceived brightness of sunlight based on factors such as time of day, location, and atmospheric conditions. However, these predictions are not always 100% accurate due to the complex nature of these factors.

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