The air we breathe is made up of gas molecules.  These molecules absorb shorter wavelengths of blue light throughout the sky. Then, the molecules radiate the blue color and it gets scattered all around the sky.

  Whichever direction you look, some of this scattered blue light reaches you.  Since you see the blue light from everywhere overhead, the sky looks blue. All the other colors pass through the molecules and don’t get absorbed.

During sunset and sunrise, the longer wavelengths of light, red, orange, and yellow bend through the atmosphere since the sun is not high in the sky and you will see these colors more than blue.

  Great question, boys and girls!

  - News 3’s Chief Meteorologist

    Bob Jeswald