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why do we observe changes in colour of sun at sunrise,sunset and noon?

The colour of sun is reddish at the time of sunrise and sunset whereas at noon the sun appears white. At sunrise and sunset the light coming from the sun has to travel a longer distance through the atmosphere to reach us. Therefore the blue and green components of white light are gets scattered away (removed)almost completely leaving the longer wavelength. Hence, during sunrise and sunset the sun appears reddish.When the sun is overhead at noon, then the light coming from the sun has to travel a relatively shorter distance through the atmosphere to reach us. As a result, only a little of the blue colour of the white light is scattered (most of the blue light remains in it). Since the light coming from the overhead sun has almost all its components colours in the right proportion, therefore, the sun appears white.

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We observe difference in colours of the sun during sun rise, sunset and noon because of atmospheric refraction of light.

During the morning and evenings the sun appears to be reddish because the scattering of light occurs. since the red light deviates the least, it is able to reach our eyes. Other colours deviate more than the red light and hence are not able to reach our eyes.

 

 

During noon, the sun is right above our head. hence scattering of light does not takes place as the light is travelling in the path of the normal. hence we observe the colour of the sun is white.

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At sunrise or sunset, the sun is located near the horizon of the Earth. Hence, light has to travel a long distance through the Earths atmosphere. At the time of sunrise or sunset, when white sunlight falls on suspended atmospheric particles, blue colour light scatters out in deep space, while red colour light scatters less, and reaches the observer on the surface of the Earth. Hence, when this less scattered red light reaches our eyes, the sun and its surroundings appear to be reddish.

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Light from the Sun near the horizon passes through thicker layers of air and larger distance in the

earths atmosphere before reaching our eyes. However, light from the Sun overhead would travelrelatively shorter distance. At noon, the Sun appears white as only a little of the blue and violetcolours are scattered. Near the horizon, most of the blue light and shorter wavelengths arescattered away by the particles. Therefore, the light that reaches our scattered away by theparticles. Therefore, the light that reaches our eyes is of longer wavelengths. This gives rise tothe reddish appearance of the Sun.
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At sunrise or sunset, the sun is located near the horizon of the Earth. Hence, light has to travel a long distance through the Earths atmosphere. At the time of sunrise or sunset, when white sunlight falls on suspended atmospheric particles, blue colour light scatters out in deep space, while red colour light scatters less, and reaches the observer on the surface of the Earth. Hence, when this less scattered red light reaches our eyes, the sun and its surroundings appear to be reddish ..

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This is mainly because of atmospheric refraction.

At the time of sunrise and sunset the sun light has to travel a great distanceto reach the Earth surface.Therefore the blue light with the shortest wavelength scatters the most and the red light with the largest wavelength scatters the least and hence reaches the observers eye and therefore the sun appears red.

At noon the sun rays have to travel a less distance to reach the Earth surface.Therefore the sun appears white because all colors of light are scattered
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