As a kid, most of us spent a good amount of time drawing pictures of sunny landscapes.
The Sun was often a central feature, a happy symbol of warmth and light.
Whether it was a perfect yellow circle beaming down with jagged rays, or a cool orange ball sinking into a picturesque sunset, we all had our own idea of what color the Sun should be.
But here’s the kicker — the Sun isn’t any of those colors at all.
In the latest episode of It’s Okay to Be Smart, Joe Hanson takes us on a fascinating journey to uncover the truth about the Sun’s true color — and why we’ve been so wrong about it.
The answer is likely not what you expect: The Sun is white.
Hold on, before you go reaching for your sunglasses or questioning everything you’ve ever learned, let’s break this down.
If the Sun is really white, why do we perceive it as yellow, orange, or even red?
And what does this tell us about the vast, colorful Universe around us?
The Sun Is White? Here’s Why You’ve Been Seeing Yellow
We’ve all been taught that the Sun is yellow — or at least that it looks yellow to us.
In fact, for many of us, that yellowish glow is one of the defining features of a perfect summer day.
If you grew up in the United States or Europe, you probably drew it that way. If you were in Japan, maybe it was more of a bright red during sunsets.
And we’ve all seen those beautiful NASA images of the Sun’s fiery surface, which often appear deep orange.
But Joe Hanson breaks it down in a way that’s as mind-blowing as it is simple: The Sun, in reality, is white. It’s just that our atmosphere plays tricks on our eyes.
Here’s the science: sunlight, which is made up of a spectrum of colors, travels through Earth’s atmosphere.
The shorter wavelengths — like blue and violet — are scattered in all directions by the gases and particles in the air.
This scattering is what causes the sky to look blue. When this scattering happens, the blue and violet light is sent off in different directions, leaving behind a more reddish hue, especially when the Sun is lower in the sky, like during sunset.
This is why the Sun looks so yellow or orange to us, but it’s really just a trick of the light.
As Joe explains, the beautiful images of the Sun captured by NASA, which often appear to be bright orange, are tinted that way intentionally.
They’re enhanced to match our perceptions of the Sun’s typical color, based on what we expect to see.
But at its core, the Sun is white, even though we experience it differently due to the scattering effect caused by Earth’s atmosphere.
But Wait — What About the Color of the Universe?
If the Sun is white, then what color is the Universe itself? Is it all a monochrome, glowing white, or is there more to the cosmic color palette?
Joe doesn’t leave us hanging — he dives right into this fascinating question.
Across the Universe, stars are constantly giving off light, but not all stars emit the same kind of light. Cooler stars, like red dwarfs, emit a red light.
On the other hand, the hottest stars, like blue giants, give off a blue light.
These varying colors of stars are determined by their temperature — hotter stars shine in the blue part of the spectrum, while cooler stars shine in the red part.
So what happens when scientists take a cosmic snapshot of all the stars in the Universe and average out the light they emit?
You might be surprised to learn that the color of the Universe as a whole isn’t some intense shade of blue or red. Instead, it’s a mix of the many different star types and their emissions.
And what color does that blend produce?
I’m not going to spoil it here — you’ll have to watch the episode of It’s Okay To Be Smart for the big reveal.
But let’s just say the result might make you crave a snack. It’s definitely not the “white” you might expect, but a color that’s warm, comforting, and, in a way, totally fitting for the infinite cosmic scale.
The Cosmic Palette: Stars and Their Colors Tell a Story
What’s amazing about the colors of the stars is that they tell us something fundamental about the life cycle of stars and the evolution of galaxies.
The color of a star isn’t just about its temperature; it’s also linked to its age and stage in the stellar life cycle.
Younger, more massive stars burn brightly with blue light, while older stars, like our Sun, tend to burn a bit cooler, giving off more yellow or white light.
- Blue Stars: These stars are the hottest, and they shine with a brilliant, cool blue. They are the “young guns” of the star world, burning through their fuel quickly.
- Yellow Stars: Our Sun is a perfect example of a yellow star. It’s neither as hot as a blue star nor as cool as a red one, but it is in its middle age and emits a white light that appears yellow because of atmospheric scattering.
- Red Stars: These are the oldest, coolest stars. They shine with a soft, reddish glow, indicating that they are nearing the end of their lifecycle.
And then, there’s the black holes — those voids of the Universe that swallow up light and matter.
While they don’t emit light themselves, black holes also contribute to the cosmic drama, influencing the light and matter around them.
The Universe is truly a dynamic and ever-evolving stage of colors, changes, and light.
Why Color Matters in Science: What We Can Learn from Light
The color of stars — and the Universe as a whole — isn’t just an interesting visual tidbit. It provides us with critical insights into the fundamental workings of our Universe.
By studying the color of light emitted by stars, scientists can figure out their temperature, composition, and even their age.
This has profound implications for our understanding of the cosmos.
By analyzing the light from distant stars and galaxies, astronomers can learn about the birth, evolution, and eventual death of stars.
For example, by studying the color of a star, scientists can estimate how much longer it will live.
And by understanding the colors of galaxies, we can trace the history of star formation in the Universe.
In a way, the colors of the stars are like fingerprints of the Universe, each one telling a unique story about where it’s been, what it’s doing, and where it’s going.
Why the “True Color” of the Sun and Universe Matters
So why does all of this matter?
Why should we care whether the Sun is white or yellow, or what color the Universe really is?
Well, it’s about understanding the world around us and gaining a deeper appreciation for how we see it.
The way we perceive color — whether it’s the Sun, the stars, or even the entire Universe — is based on a complex interplay of light, atmosphere, and physics.
As we explore the cosmos and study the stars, we’re learning not only about distant galaxies but also about our own planet.
The study of light and color can teach us how our atmosphere interacts with sunlight, how stars form, and how energy flows through space.
In other words, the very colors that we see in the sky and in the stars provide us with valuable clues about the workings of the Universe.
And while the “true color” of the Sun may not be what we thought, the real beauty lies in understanding why it looks the way it does — and how those colors are a product of physics, perception, and the environment in which we live.
Conclusion: The Color of the Universe and You
At the end of the day, the color of the Universe and the Sun is far more than just a trivial detail.
It’s a window into understanding the nature of light, the life cycles of stars, and the vastness of space.
It shows us how human perception and science intersect, and how both work together to help us make sense of the world around us.
So the next time you see the Sun rising or setting, or catch a glimpse of a starry night sky, take a moment to appreciate the colors — they’re not just beautiful, they’re full of meaning.
And who knows, maybe the Universe is trying to tell you something, too.
What do you think?
Are you surprised by the color of the Sun and the Universe?
Or have you always suspected that our perception of color might be a little more complex than we think?
Let us know in the comments!
