Red light does not travel shorter distances than other light; the military uses infrared light for night operations because it is invisible to enemies. The perception of the sun appearing reddish at sunrise and sunset is due to atmospheric scattering, where blue light is scattered more than red. This scattering results in the blue sky seen away from the sun, while the red light predominates during those times. Additionally, red light is beneficial in low-light environments, such as aircraft cockpits, as it minimizes eye strain while allowing visibility of controls. Overall, red light's properties and uses are distinct from misconceptions about its travel distance.