The Colour of the Sky

If we look at the sky on a perfectly fine summer‘s day we shall find that the blue colour is the most pure and intense overhead，and when looking high up in a direction opposite to the sun. Near the horizon it is always less bright，while in the region immediately around the sun it is more or less yellow. The reason of this is that near the horizon we look through a very great thickness of the lower atmosphere，which is full of the larger dust particles reflecting white light，and this diluter the pure blue of the higher atmosphere seen beyond，And in the vicinity of the sun a good deal of the blue light is reflected back into space by the finer dust，thus giving a yellowish tinge to that which reaches us reflected chiefly from the coarse dust of the lower atmosphere. At sunset and sunrise，however，this last effect is greatly intensified，owing to the great thickness of the strata of air through which the light reaches us. The enormous amount of this dust is well shown by the fact that then only we can look full at the sun，even when the whole sky is free from clouds and there is no apparent mist.

But the sun’s rays then reach us after having passed，first，through an enormous thickness of the higher strata of the air，the minute dust of which reflects most of the higher strata of the air，the minute dust of which reflects most of the blue rays away from us，leaving the complementary yellow light to pass on，Then，the somewhat coarser dust reflects the green rays，leaving a more orange-coloured light to pass on；and finally some of the yellow is reflected，leaving almost pure red. But owing to the constant presence of air currents，arranging both the dust and vapour in strata of varying extent and density，and of high or low clouds which both absorb and reflect the light in varying degrees，we see produced all those wondrous combinations of tints and those gorgeous ever-changing colours which are a constant source of admiration and delight to all who have the advantage of an uninterrupted view to the west and who are accustomed to watch for those not infrequent exhibitions of nature‘s kaleidoscopic colour painting. With every change in the altitude of the sun the display changes its character；and most of all when it has sunk below the horizon，and owing to the more favourable angles a larger quantity of the coloured light is reflected toward us，Especially when there is a certain amount of cloud is this the case. These，so long as the sun was above the horizon，intercepted much of the light and colour，but when the great luminary has passed away from our direct vision，his light shines more directly on the under sides of all the clouds and air strata of different densities；a new and more brilliant light flushes the western sky，and a display of gorgeous ever-changing tints occurs which are at once the delight of the beholder and the despair of the artist. And all this unsurpassable glory we owe to——dust！

天空的色彩
晴空萬里的夏日，如果我們觀察一下天空，且背向太陽，極目仰望，就會發現頭頂上空的藍色最純凈，最濃郁。靠近天邊，色彩往往較暗淡，太陽周圍的地方則略呈 黃色。這是因為我們向天邊望去時，目光要穿過極厚的低空大氣層，其中布滿顆粒較大的塵埃，反射出白光，這就沖淡了天際高空大氣層的純藍色。在太陽附近，大 量藍光則由細微的塵埃反射回太空。這樣，主要由低空大氣層的粗粒塵埃反射到地面的光線，便帶有淺黃色。不過，在日出日落時，由于光線到達地面南非要穿過厚 厚的大氣層，這種反射效果大大增強了。只有在這種時候，我們才可以直視太陽，即使萬里長空沒有一點云彩，不見一絲霧靄。這就充分顯示了低空塵埃的數量之 大。

但是太陽的光線終于到達了地面。它們先是穿過厚度極大的高空大氣層，其中的細微塵埃把大部分藍色的光反射掉了，讓補色的黃光繼續通行。然后，粗粒塵埃又反 射掉綠色的光，讓偏橙色的光繼續通行。最后，部分黃色的光也反射掉，剩下幾乎是純紅色的了。不過，由于不斷出現氣流，把法埃與水汽分層排列，廣度不均，密 度各異，加上高低空常有云層，不同程度地吸收并反射陽光，我們這才看到各種奇異的色調斑剝陸離，諸多絢麗的色彩變化萬千；任何人只要有幸將西方的景致一覽 無余，只要有心觀看大自然不時展現的那一幅幅瞬息萬變的彩畫，都會為之贊不絕口，喜不自勝。隨著夕陽緩緩西墜，這種景觀也不斷變幻；尤其是在太陽沉入地平 線之后，由于角度更加適宜，五顏六色的光就都發射到地面上來。遇有些許云霧，更是如此。本來，只要太陽還位于地平線之上，云霧便截住了不少夕陽和色彩；而 今太陽從我們的視野消失，陽關便更為直接地照射到密度各異的重重云靄與層層大氣的底部；一片嶄新的、更加燦爛的陽光染紅了西天，一幅景觀色彩絢麗，變化萬 千，觀賞者固然賞心悅目，然而自嘆莫及。而我們之所以能領略如此無與倫比的美景，全應歸功于—塵埃！