After reading Carl Sagan's essay "Why We Need To Understand Science" I realized at some point in my educational career, I decided my questions became dumb. I have no idea why, but at some point it seemed unacceptable for me to ask a fundamental question like "Why is the sun yellow?"

 

I'm eighteen and I'm not sure why the sun is yellow. I know about different stars and that the sun uses fusion power but I can't explain the color. Am I the only one who still has questions like this in their head but won't ask them?

 

How about we ask each other these questions? Any field, any topic, and no pressure to stop you from asking and getting your answer. Maybe just maybe, we have some questions in common even.

The sun's surface is actually white. It just appears yellowish to use because the atmosphere scatters the light before it reaches our eyes.

I, like you, have lots of questions with no answers that I don't ask.... Guess it is because I don't want to take the time to hear and discuss the answer, or maybe I don't want to make myself appear weak of vulnerable. Interesting points you raise.

The sun's surface is actually white. It just appears yellowish to use because the atmosphere scatters the light before it reaches our eyes.

 

Spectacular. I feel extremely productive now. Anyone else have questions? I could think of hundreds of questions like this honestly.

Spectacular. I feel extremely productive now. Anyone else have questions? I could think of hundreds of questions like this honestly.

 

I can't think of any currently, but if you have more fire away at will, and I along with many other member will try and answer them for you.

Specifically, the atmosphere scatters the shorter wavelengths of light more easily than others. That's why the sky is blue and the sun yellow, in the day. At sunrise/sunset, the light has to pass through a lot more atmosphere, and the effect is amplified, which accounts for the redder colors.

The sun's surface is actually white. It just appears yellowish to use because the atmosphere scatters the light before it reaches our eyes.

Wrong. The sun appears yellow because it is yellow, or maybe yellowish green. The peak of solar radiation is at those wavelengths. Astronomers even to choose to describe it as G-type main sequence yellow dwarf.