Why is the sky black without atmosphere?

[monkeyMD]

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I do understand that there will be no scattering of light. However, wouldn't the sky then be white, not black?

 

[Blaughable]

The way I understand it, imagine if you were in space and looked at the sun, it would just be the sun surrounded by black. The only light you would see is the yellow light coming straight from the sun, light wouldn't be refracted in any other direction, so everything else would be black.

If anything most of the sky would be yellow given the Sun's size.

 

[GreenRabbit]

If anything most of the sky would be yellow given the Sun's size.

Hmm. I don't think so.

 

[Blaughable]

Hmm. I don't think so.

Care to elaborate?

Let me rephrase: If anything, the major color in the sky is going to be yellow from the giant burning yellow circle, the sun. Everything around it will still be black of course.

 

[cheesier]

I do understand that there will be no scattering of light. However, wouldn't the sky then be white, not black?

Well, what is color? Things are white if they reflect all visible wavelengths, but in the absence of atmosphere, there's nothing to absorb light, and therefore nothing to reflect light back. That's why all you see is black.

 

[GreenRabbit]

Care to elaborate?

Let me rephrase: If anything, the major color in the sky is going to be yellow from the giant burning yellow circle, the sun. Everything around it will still be black of course.

I just don't think the sun is big enough to take up "most of the sky" Also, it probably wouldn't appear yellow. More like retina-scorching white. 🙂

And yeah I agree that it would be black except for the sun / stars / moon.