Sun Rays - An Explanation

[jc71]

Hi,

I have been thinking recently about Sun Rays and how they show through clouds.

You know the typical scene - the rays spread out from a gap in the clouds.



My confusion is that it seems to me that the sun is so far away that really these "beams of light" should almost be parallel.

Can someone with more knowledge of light and physics and maths explain why they look like the light source is so close to earth, so much so that the angles are quite pronounced.

I am sure someone can explain the phenomenon to me and I am happy to learn

Regards,

JC

[ghostrider]

the first thing to keep in mind is, light is only visible when it has something to relect it ... shine a flashlight , you see nothing, hold your hand six inches away and the light appears, blow smoke between the flashlight and your hand and another beam appears, light is only visible with something to reflect it ... tiny microbes live in our atmosphere, sunlight relects off of them and you get those rays ...as to the close proximity, not 100 percent sure , IMO the gravity wave of earth may have a part in making the sun appear to set right over us , even at 93 million miles away ... keep in mind we see an optical illusion, the sky is black filled with stars , not blue ...the relection off the ocean of sunlight gives the blue sky illusion ... its interesting for sure ...

[CD7]

I don't have a scientific backround in this field....but I would say, from wht ive been told/heard about our physics--

The rays are "light" from the sun but the rays fanning out tht you see are reflections of the suns light refracting/bouncing off of our dusty atmosphere....maybe similar to a magnify glass when you reflect the light it becomes more direct and intensifies because the light is traveling through something else...Perhaps we do live in a fish bowl? Hummm

Ha thts my take, im sure someone with a more scientifically correct backround may chime in and explain it differently...

[indigopete]

Hi jc

Try googling "Crepuscular rays". (That's their official name )

Here's a particularly spectacular one in case you didn't already come across it....http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-11-2010_1.jpg

[toad]

Refraction. I'm in no condition to explain anything at this point. Please see Wave Physics, Optical Physics, Diffraction or polarization, this jpg may help:

[Arpheus]

Its all part of the big hologram and illusion we all fabricated with our minds,no need to try to figure it out !!

[nomadguy]

It is my personal opinion that the rays from the light of the sun are coming from a spot within the upper atmosphere. An example would be shining a flashlight on a balloon. If you were in the balloon you would see a bright circle shining light inward.

[jc71]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It does seem like it is all to do with the sun light hitting the atmosphere and then that spot becoming the "source" point for the light, from which it fans out, and I guess the atmosphere isn't actually that thick so that would explain why there is such an angular difference between the rays i.e. the point of light is very near rather than very far.

It travels in a parallel straight line from the sun to the edge of our atmosphere, and then it gets dispersed somewhat.

I think that makes sense.... but how thick is the atmosphere? 50 miles? If that is the case, maybe it still seems a little too far for the angles that can be seen.

I will have to ponder it further in light of all your points.

Thanks!

JC

[CD7]

Posted by jc71 (here)
Thanks everyone for your replies. It does seem like it is all to do with the sun light hitting the atmosphere and then that spot becoming the "source" point for the light, from which it fans out, and I guess the atmosphere isn't actually that thick so that would explain why there is such an angular difference between the rays i.e. the point of light is very near rather than very far.

It travels in a parallel straight line from the sun to the edge of our atmosphere, and then it gets dispersed somewhat.

I think that makes sense.... but how thick is the atmosphere? 50 miles? If that is the case, maybe it still seems a little too far for the angles that can be seen.

I will have to ponder it further in light of all your points.

Thanks!

JC

Honestly it is very good to question....after all, we are living in a world of illusions...and those illusions can fan out into space also