What is Sky: Definition and 269 Discussions

The sky 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, concentric to the Earth, on which the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars appear to be drifting. The celestial sphere is conventionally divided into designated areas called constellations.
Usually, the term sky informally refers to a perspective 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 resembles a dome (sometimes called the sky bowl) appearing flatter during the day than at night. In some cases, such as in discussing the weather, the sky refers to only the lower, denser layers of the atmosphere.
The daytime sky appears blue because air molecules scatter shorter wavelengths of sunlight more than longer ones (redder light). The night sky appears to be a mostly dark surface or region spangled with stars. The Sun and sometimes the Moon are visible in the daytime sky unless obscured by clouds. At night, the Moon, planets, and stars are similarly visible in the sky.
Some of the natural phenomena seen in the sky are clouds, rainbows, and aurorae. Lightning and precipitation are also visible in the sky. Certain birds and insects, as well as human inventions like aircraft and kites, can fly in the sky. Due to human activities, smog during the day and light pollution during the night are often seen above large cities.

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  1. Garth

    B Exploring CMB Anomalies: Pi in the Sky with Ali Frolop and Douglas Scott

    Another interesting article Pi in the sky by the intrepid duo Ali Frolop, and Douglas Scott. Those pesky CMB anomalies again! Garth
  2. CollinsArg

    About light -- why when I look at a star I see rays around it?

    Hi! I'm not studying physics and what I know about light is mostly what I've read on the internet and what I've learn thinking and observing the nature. I come to realize that the space is full of light. When I look at the black space, I don't see light but I know that is light everywhere up...
  3. wolf1728

    I Are almost all stars in the night sky brighter than the Sun?

    I was thinking about adding another page to my website concerning the nearest stars, the brightest stars, etc. In a list of the nearest stars, the vast majority are brighter than the Sun. (I looked for stars with an absolute magnitude that was greater than the Sun's (4.85) and had a visual...
  4. Titan97

    Ground wave vs. sky wave stability

    Homework Statement Is sky wave signal less stable than ground wave signal? Homework Equations None The Attempt at a Solution Ground waves face attenuation because when it glides over the surface of earth, there will be induced fields which can oppose the wave. In case of sky waves, it...
  5. S

    What color is the sky from space for an astronaut?

    suppose there is an astronaut sitting in a space station orbiting Earth, what colour would the sky appear to him? Same as us? Why or why not? Thanks!
  6. sami_m

    The probable trajectory of the ninth planet in night sky?

    What would be the propable trajectory and position of the ninth planet that has been suggested few days ago (20.1.2016 by Konstantin Batygin and Michael E. Brown) ? if i understood correctly, the exact position of the planet is unknown and has not been evaluated. But by looking this article...
  7. Andy Resnick

    Q: Deep Sky Stacker hints & tips

    There seems to be enough of us night owls who use DSS for me to open a discussion about how to 'tune' all of the parameters to get an optimal result. Personally, I've used the program for a few years but still have no clue about many of the settings, and would appreciate any insight. First...
  8. A

    Color of sky based on atmosphere density

    If the atmosphere was thiner would the sky be violet?, and if it was thicker would it be red?
  9. Buzz Bloom

    Exploring Dark Sky Ahead: Calculating Escape Velocity of Stars & Galaxies

    From time to time I see discussions about the expansion of the universe that describe a future state where the view of the sky from Earth (assuming Earth were to still be in existence) will be completely dark. There are two possible explanations of this prediction. 1. The universe will...
  10. J

    Witness the Sky of an Accelerated Black Hole

    Let's put an observer hovering near the event horizon of a charged black hole. As the black hole is charged we can change its velocity from zero to 10 m/s in one second. But we can not send a message to the observer in one second. So the observer does not know that the black hole that he is...
  11. S

    Why the sky is blue and not violet

    Though the intensity of violet light is more than that of blue we see the sky blue.Why this happens?Does it happen only for that our eyes are more sensible towards blue light than violet light or due to absorption of violet light by Ozone layer? And why different light waves having different...
  12. F

    The Science Behind the Blue Evening Sky: Why is it Blue Instead of Red/Orange?

    I know the question is generally "Why is the evening sky red/orange?" but actually the evening sky is very rarely red/orange. On most evenings it is blue. Why is it blue? Shouldn't it be red/orangish? Does the location on Earth have anything to do with this?
  13. L

    Sky temperature profiles and black body radiation

    I want to know, excluding the sun with an appropriate boundary, whether it is possible for the balance of bbr to be positive for outerspace rather than on earth? I am thinking of a half convex with an active polariser across-the outer surface which allows through most radiation below the...
  14. dwn

    Calculating the suns path in sky

    I've searched the internet and found a few sites, of varying depth, that contain some of the equations to calculating the solar path. At the moment, I'm not particularly concerned with precision. I am trying to discern the equations in order to implement them into a java program I am writing...
  15. L

    How wide is the observable horizon, at sea level?

    I'm quite aware of how to compute how FAR you are from the horizon, but my question is, how WIDE is the observable horizon at sea level (like, from left to right, how many kilometers is this): http://www.jeicentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/far_sunset_in_te_ocean_horizon-wide.jpg Thanks!
  16. T

    Baffled by observation -- 3 lights in the night sky

    Hi! :) This is my first message here. The reason I joined this forum is because there are some knowledgeable people here who might be able to shed some light on an observation that I cannot explain. It happened during the night of July 28, 2013, at around midnight, and it still keeps me...
  17. C

    Discover the Spectacular Sky Color on a K4.5V Main Sequence Star"

    Hi, If you were to half Earth's orbit around a K4.5V main sequence star (assuming the same composition and density of atmosphere), what colour would the sky be? Thanks in advance. Chinspinner
  18. Bruno Carbone

    Ocean in the Sky: Exploring a Hypothetical Scenario

    Hi all! In the absurd hypothesis that we could take all water from Earth's oceans and distribute it equally through the sky ceiling (as shown below). We have the point of view of an observer in the land. Questions: 1. We know that the water pressure rises as we come closer to Earth's core...
  19. kmm

    Why the sky is blue and not violet?

    I have some confusions about this that I'm not finding clear answers for. First, looking at the color violet, it looks like a sort of "purple". The answer as I've understood it to why the sky doesn't appear violet or this "purple" is that it has to do with a combination of the fact that there...
  20. Yadama

    Mom's New Camera Captures the Night Sky!

    Well today my mother got a pretty nice camera, she's been wanting one for a while and what better way to test it then getting some shots of the moon! This is the best photo she could get, the rest were very shaky and we're probably going to invest in a tripod. I also went out with my cheapy...
  21. Ritzycat

    Exploring the Night Sky with a Telescope in Central USA

    I've had a telescope for a few years. I know pretty basic stuff - and I can easily find planets when they are in the sky (mostly because I know Venus is around sunrise/sunset, and Jupiter & Saturn are non-twinkling bright objects in the sky). I know a few constellations - Cassiopeia, Orion, Ursa...
  22. R

    How can I determine right ascension and declination of a star in the sky?

    I have a location of approximately 35 deg 14' S and 149 deg 4' E, and I have measured the position of the star Antares to be at an altitude of 27 deg 00' using an inclinometer, and direction 247 deg using a compass. Using this information can I calculate the direction of the star on the...
  23. J

    The masking effect of the sky scattering of visible light

    It is very well known that the sky scattering of visible light decrease with the wavelength, it is bigger in the blue portion of the spectrum( the reason why the sky is blue ) and is lower on the red portion of the spectrum, this scattering is even lower on the infrared section and lower still...
  24. K

    Would we see the planets move across the sky if Earth stops spinning

    Homework Statement If the Earth did not spin on its axis, would the other planets still appear to move across the sky? Justify your answer. Homework Equations N/A The Attempt at a Solution If the Earth continued to rotate around the sun but NOT on it's own axis then wouldn't...
  25. J

    What colour is the sky on other planets?

    I imagine it depends on the chemical makeup of their atmospheres.
  26. Greg Bernhardt

    How to identify that light in the sky

    Found this great chart!
  27. O

    Why do I see stars as a point in the sky?

    The light from stars radiates out from them as a sphere. When a part of the surface of the light sphere reaches the earth, it is far enough away from the star so that each point on that part of the surface of the sphere near the Earth has about the same light energy. But, I only see a point...
  28. J

    Why is the Sky Blue? Understanding Rayleigh Scattering and Atmospheric Particles

    I was practicing for my upcoming optics exams, by making an old exam. And got stuck on some problems that seem so silly. 1. Why is the sky blue? My answer: To answer this problem I first need to mention Rayleigh Scattering, a form of scattering which has a very large wavelength...
  29. Greg Bernhardt

    Top Sky Viewing Apps for iPhone: A Comparison

    I've long used GoSkyWatch Planetarium. The augmented reality using GPS is very smooth and it's easy to find objects. http://www.gosoftworks.com/GoSkyWatch/GoSkyWatch.html I know there are a few of these out there. Which are you using?
  30. T

    Why is separation of earth and sky so common in different mythologies?

    Why is separation of Earth and sky so common in different mythologies around the world? EDIT: Sorry about my poor phrasing of the question. My question is actually why people would assume Earth and sky were joined once. Which observation/ reasoning led them to make up such a non-obvious story...
  31. G

    Polarization of Sky and Clouds

    Homework Statement Find the angle ϕ between the filter's polarizing axis and the direction of polarization of light necessary to increase the ratio of the clouds' intensity to that of the blue sky so that it is three times the normal value. Express your answer in degrees to four significant...
  32. E

    How much of the night sky one could see from various locations

    I was wondering about how much of the night sky one could see from various locations on the Earth. At anyone time, near sea level, how much is visible? My guess is that much less than half is visible, with the rest being blocked from view by the earth. Is that correct? How small a portion...
  33. W

    Would the sky be red if the atmosphere was thicker?

    Lets say Earths atmosphere with the same composition of gases was 500 bar. Would the sky be red instead of blue because light from the Sun would have to travel through more atmosphere?
  34. Chronos

    Calculating Mass Density of the Universe with SDSS DR10 Quasar Catalog

    The latest quasar catalog, SDSS DR10, has been released - http://arxiv.org/abs/1311.4870! Yes, I know, you can hardly contain your excitement.
  35. P

    New weight at 1 mile in the sky

    1. In 1956, Frank Lloyd Wright proposed the construction of a mile-high building in Chicago. Suppose the building had been constructed. Ignoring Earth's rotation, find the change in your weight if you were to ride an elevator from the street level, where you weigh 600N, to the top of the...
  36. W

    Determine how much of the sky can be imaged in a single night

    Hello, I am doing an assignment, and am required to work out how much of the sky can be imaged in a single night by a telescope. If the amount of celestial sphere that is visible for this particular site is 26360.64 degree squared for the 12 hours. The field of view of the telescope is 2100 x...
  37. totallyclone

    Find distance when slipping down the roof of a sky dome stadium

    Homework Statement Mike Harris stands at the very top of the sky dome stadium roof to pitch the opening ball for the Blue Jays game. He slips a bit left of centre and slides down along the frictionless roof surface. For what distance, measured along the curve, will he slide before leaving the...
  38. Spinnor

    IR thermometer pointed up into a cloudy sky?

    A physics stack question asks why when the air is hotter then your body thermodynamics allows your body to operate as a heat engine as a heat engine must have a sink for waste heat. See question here, http://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/59316/human-as-a-heat-engine Part of the answer is...
  39. T

    Passive Adiabatic Effect: Cold sky reflection on IR imagery.

    I am currently in training to become an analyst using thermal imagery. In the studies I have been introduced to cold sky reflection on thermal imagery, however the instructor explained it as a surface 'reflecting the cold from the sky' which, as far as I'm aware, doesn't fit with the second law...
  40. P

    What Temp is an Object Orbiting the Sun?

    An object (a tin can for example) orbiting the Sun at about the same distance as the Earth would be what temperature?
  41. Lebombo

    Sun's path in the sky during Equinox if watching from equator?

    Suppose it's the equinox, when the Earth's closest point to the sun is the equator. Would people who live somewhere along the equator see the sun rise directly from the east, move directly above so, and set directly to the west? For instance, if someone, living on the equator, were to put a...
  42. X

    Why Does the Sky Appear Blue? Why Can Stars See Us?

    Hello, I have a novice question. I know that the sky color is blue (at noon, when there is no clouds), because the air particles (mostly N2 and a little O2 ...and other) scatter short-wavelength light more than longer wavelengths. That is why we can't see the stars trought the atmosphere...
  43. C

    What Forces Impact the Frame Joints of the MSL Sky Crane During Descent?

    Hello and thank you for allowing me to post a question. I am not very familiar with systems engineering and have a question about the frame joints connecting the main body of the MSL (Mars Science Laboratory) powered descent stage with its 8 Aerojet MR-80B 800 lbs thrusters (1). I am...
  44. D

    Reflecting telescope optics problem-Angle on the sky to angle on a mirror

    Homework Statement When viewed from Earth, the Moon subtends an angle of 0.5° in the sky. How large an image of the Moon will be formed by the 3.6 m diameter mirror of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, which has a focal length of 8.5 m? Homework Equations 1/s + 1/s' = 1/f, but I'm...
  45. R

    Physics modeling for sky lantern

    Homework Statement What is the best physics modeling for the motion of sky lantern? can I assume that the temperature in the lantern same in every place so that the air density is same too? Homework Equations The Attempt at a SolutionHomework Statement Homework Equations The Attempt at a...
  46. S

    Details of research on using electricty from Lightening of the sky

    is it possible to harness the lightning to get electricity.
  47. N

    Free fall equations Sky diver Felix need some help please

    free fall equations ...Sky diver Felix :) need some help please hi :) OK..i tried to use the equations below to evaluate the distance or the time at which felix will reach the speed of sound ...but i failed ..i need some help: here what i did: first i neglect the air resistance , but the...
  48. B

    Which High Altitude Wind Power Startup Has the Best Power to Weight Ratio?

    Hallo PF, Both are startups working on high altitude wind power generation. In general, both uses some sought of kite design to keep the generator afloat in air and the high velocity winds rotate the propellers of generators producing power. However, in Makani the kite travels along a...
  49. F

    Witness 1000 Digits of Pi in the Sky Over SF

    I think it's the first 1000 digits. wish I could have been there https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iALEU1dD1A
  50. J

    Shoot arrow in sky - Free fall

    Homework Statement An arrow is fired upward with an initial speed of 38 m/s. What is it's maximum height? How long does it take to return to the ground? How high is it at 1.3 seconds? How high at 3.8 seconds? Homework Equations x = Vo*t + .5*a*t^2 y = .5gt^2 etc. The Attempt at a...
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