Thursday, April 17, 2008

Sky Watch Friday III - April 18, 2008

Blue Sky
(It’s too cold to Swim)

On the Beach, Gulf of Mexico, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA

I’m a Scientist and I don’t know for sure why the sky looks so blue on a really cold damp morning before sunrise in the winter. Brrrr.

I suspect the reason is probably based on the fact that when light hits gas molecules, which are smaller than the wavelength range of light, it is scattered. This effect is called “Rayleigh Scattering”. Different wavelengths of light are scattered at different angles. Red, orange, and yellow light are more unaffected because they have longer wavelengths than the blue light, which is scattered more because of its shorter wavelength. Thus, the blue would have been predominately scattered back down through the clouds. Temperature, humidity and fog droplet size may also play some part in this effect.

The sky was overcast and there was a heavy fog bank back to the left where the sun was trying to rise and everything had taken on the color of that cold blue light from the sky. It was definitely too cold to swim! Even if the water had been bathtub warm, the psychological effect of that cold blue light would have shouted “It’s too cold to swim”. Just look at that sky.

I had to adjust the levels significantly on both ends, since the color was all spiked tightly in the blue channel. For those that don’t use Photoshop, let’s just say, everything was really dark and blue. And for you Photoshoppers, I used layers and a high pass filter to sharpen and cut through some of the fog to see out across the ocean.

To sign up for Sky Watch Friday go to Wiggers World here.

Troy and Martha

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

... if you don´t mind I'm going to fetch my bodyboarding wetsuit so I can go swimming all way to the horizon line ... maybe there I can meet such intense sky!

Anonymous said...

Well for whatever reason it sure is beautiful...
Have a great weekend.

Champ Townboy said...

Beautiful!! Thanks for the science lesson too!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Troy: That is simply amazing. Thanks for the great sky.

Anonymous said...

A beautiful blue, cold morning sunrise.

Daniel J Santos said...

Excellent colors, well done.

Unknown said...

Beautiful image!

Anonymous said...

It does look cold, but very lovely. To me, the ocean water here off Maine, is always too cold to swim in.

Craver Vii said...

Too cold?! There is a group of crazies up here (Chicago) that takes a dip under the frozen surface of Lake Michigan on January 1st. Our Polar Bear Club might enjoy a swim down there in the winter... but not me. I like heated indoor pools.

That's a good looking bbbbblue sssskkky (shivering).

Carole said...

Ooooh, so pretty! Waving from the other side of the Gulf.

Snap Catch said...

wow! great catch! In the sky, there is no distinction of East and West, so the people create distinctions out of their own minds.... mine's up too hope you can drop by.

Michele said...

It is an amazing photo. Done nicely!
Rocky Mountain Retreat

david mcmahon said...

Can I just grab my wetsuit and board ....

Stacey Olson said...

Troy and Martha, I am so glad you posted this photo. and great info to go with it. Thanks for sharing with everyone..

dot said...

Beautiful shot and definately looks cold!

Sharon said...

Whatever the reason, it is wonderful! I love that bright blue. Great catch.

Quiet Paths said...

Bluer than blue - definitely a blueootiful picture! And thanks for the science facts.

judi/Gmj said...

K, cause I love your blog, and Martha is soo cute in yellow, I will tell ya the trooth. Ya dang near put me in a trance with the yarn about wavelengths, gas molecules scattering back down through the clouds and fog droplets size play its part. When I came up for air, I said to myself, "Whatev, this is a really good picture and I like it a lot."
Does Sherwin Williams carry this color? :)

gaz said...

a great shot and a science lesson. bonus!

Pernille said...

Beautiful photo and beautiful color. Well done.

Unknown said...

Wow, this is a nice photo, and it's making me feel cold! It's cold here right now, and thinking of water is just......

Nice theory (?) on how the sky is blue too, I'm somewhat of a scientist at heart and people keep asking why the sky is blue. I would tend to agree with you there.

Cheers,

David Webb: Nature Pictures

DeeMom said...

Fabulous photo

nina at Nature Remains. said...

Wow--that blue really intensifies the cool feel!
Brrrr!

dmarks said...

I don't think of "blue" when I think of Texas, but maybe now I will.

Pappy said...

You got here early with that really blue shot of Galveston.

D Herrod said...

Nice shot. Great to see pictures of Texas.

Lilli & Nevada said...

Oh i would love to be at that beach and look at that beautiful sky. cold or not

SandyCarlson said...

That's a fascinating explanation of the coloring of the magnificent photo! We can watch while Quintarantino gets out there on his board!

Lori said...

How beautiful with all of that blue. I took a photo awhile back that I called "Blue Winter" because the trees, sky and road - covered in snow - were all so blue.

I love how nature gives us such magnificent colors!

Sunshinelene said...

well, i would love the cold but not to swim. but that won't prevent me from appreciating the beautiful sky on this lovely cold morning. :)

happy sky watching!

Juliana RW said...

Beautiful blue sky

Will you visit mine Thanks

Kyanite said...

Now that really is a photo for a blue obsessive like me!

FO - 2 said...

Beautiful Blue! :)

Ida

Angie said...

Hi,
Whatever the reason for the colour,that is one superb photo!

Gerald (Ackworth born) said...

here we tend to have shades of gray rather than blue, more's the pity.

Anne-Berit said...

The blue colour is beautiful,and in nothern Norway we are quite used to it.

Maggie May said...

I don't care what the reason is, I just love it & am glad it is so blue!
Came over from David's.

Dewdrop said...

Very intense. Great submission in SWF.

Mine is posted at www.dewdropweather.com.

TR Ryan said...

I love that intense blue. Beautiful photograph. I really enjoy the science information thanks for sharing. My sky watch at sea this week is definitely a hot one.

raf said...

Photoshop or no, you've pretty well captured what a cold winter morning before sunrise on Padre can look like. I can feel it! Thank you for the beautiful shot and explantion.

Tom said...

It a good job I start checking in case I've missed one...
This is a stunner with all the blue on show as well..

Sorry I did not comment before..
Tom

Misty DawnS said...

That is definitely a very beautiful and vivid blue! Gorgeous!

Dick said...

I'm sure you are right, interesting lesson. Great sky.

becky aka theRAV said...

Now THAT IS BLUE! Beautiful color.

Anonymous said...

Oh Wow! That is just beautiful!

Rose said...

Now that is blue!

Sandpiper (Lin) said...

Whatever the reason is that makes the sky that beautiful blue, I could look at it all day. Wonderful!

Dancin Fool said...

What a beautiful place to start the day. Great picture!

Petunia said...

Love this blue shot:)
Sorry i haven't got the time to visit you earlier.
Have a nice week end!
Petunia's Sky Watch

Dottie said...

Beautiful shot! How cold is winter in Texas?

Rune Eide said...

A latecomer, but not too late to appreciate both your photography, PhotoShop technique and your science (I have heard that the dust size is smaller at that time of the year, but It is not my field).

Excellent.