FAQ

Sorry, I just started this, so I haven't been asked too many questions as of yet. Contact me below if you want to know anything about what I do or how I do it. In the meantime...

Dear Monstro,

I love your site. It's incredible, and you smell nice. I was wondering, why is the sky blue?

signed,

Gretchin Rock!



Dear Gretchen Rock (!),

I have heard numerous competing theories about the blueness of the sky, all of which were proclaimed with such concentrated confidence that I have no doubt that their heralds believed wholeheartedly in their veracity.

First, the sky is blue because the Earth is made mostly of water. Water is blue, light bounces off the water, and thus, the sky is blue.

I think it's an interesting theory but then why isn't the sky a deeper shade of blue, and why aren't there spots where the sky is reflecting off the land, or failing to reflect off the land. Also, this theory seems to suggest that its bearers can't understand the concept of empty space. They seem to be saying that the area where the atmosphere quits and the vacuum begins is acting as a sort of movie screen against which the light bouncing off the ocean can display its blue tone.

I find that hard to believe. First of all, if that particular whatever is able to stop light for the display, why doesn't it stop the light as it enters the atmosphere. Second, there is no place where the atmosphere stops, so to speak. The atmosphere gets thinner and thinner until finally there just isn't any left. And even that is a misconception, there are atoms floating around out in space--there just happens to be a lot of space between them.

I think this theory is based off the idea of a mirror. Glass, which is clear, becomes reflective when it is put up against something solid and black. Thus, the atmosphere (also clear) should also become reflective when it is put up against something black (like outer space), but outer space seems to lack the necessary characteristic for mirror-hood. It's emptiness is the opposite of solidity.

The second theory I have heard concerning the skies blue-ness is that the Earth's weight and magnetic gravity blah blah blah, bends light just so that it shifts towards the blue. I think this theory sounds official because it involves the key words of that kind of science most of us don't understand. All one is missing is the words, "Einstein" and "relativity" and we will immediately be humbled into believing whatever follows. Well, if any feature of the Earth is causing things in the sky to look more blue, what about air planes, and realistically, why isn't it doing the same thing to things here on Earth. After all, the light that comes from the Sun doesn't hang out up in the sky, it falls down to the planet which is, I think we'll all agree on this, not blue in tone.

I think the theory that I'm going to condone is the idea that the gasses that make up our atmosphere are slightly blue in tinge, such that, a small volume of them will look absolutely clear, but attempting to peer through five miles of that same gas creates an obvious blue effect.

I hope that helps,



Monstro