Is the Sun Ghosting Us?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the perception of the sun's color and its implications, particularly in relation to redshift and the Earth's motion. Participants explore the sun's appearance at different times of day and in various atmospheric conditions, blending humor with scientific concepts.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant humorously suggests that the sun is "running away" from the Earth based on redshift observations.
  • Another participant asserts that the sun is yellow, challenging the previous claim about its color.
  • A different participant points out that the sun can appear red during sunset, particularly in areas affected by wildfires.
  • There is a contention about the sun's color, with some claiming it is white while others argue it appears yellow due to atmospheric effects.
  • One participant proposes that the Doppler redshift of sunlight might vary depending on atmospheric conditions, although this is met with humor and skepticism.
  • A later reply humorously suggests that the sun "hides under the turtles" at night, contributing to the playful tone of the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the sun's color, with no consensus reached. The discussion includes humor and playful banter, indicating a light-hearted debate rather than a serious scientific inquiry.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes references to atmospheric effects on the perception of the sun's color and the concept of redshift, but lacks rigorous scientific definitions or clarifications on these topics.

Field physics
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Just something dumb but funny to think about.
Redshift indicates the object is moving away.
The Earth orbits the sun
The sun appears to be red.
So in conclusion, the sun is running away and the Earth is chasing the sun. Lol hopefully that lightens your evening.
 
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But the sun is yellow...
 
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Office_Shredder said:
But the sun is yellow...
But ... the sun is white.
 
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DaveC426913 said:
But ... the sun is white.

That's the point of the thread. The sun is white, but since it is stationary relative to the Earth it gets yellow shifted.
 
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berkeman said:
So you're saying our Sunlight's Doppler redshift varies with how much atmosphere it has to travel through? :wink:
No, the sun runs away in the evening which is why it goes dark at night. (Then it hides under the turtles.)
 
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