Kim's County Line: Why Is the Sky Blue?

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

Why Is the Sky Blue?

December 27, 2025 - Quivira National Wildlife Refuge - Little Salt Marsh

Once upon a time ... long, long ago, I was in charge of Kansas State Fair coverage for The Hutchinson News. I practically lived at the fairgrounds during its 10-day September run. In fact, I stayed one night in the 4-H Encampment Building for a story, also walking down to the livestock barn to visit with fair entrants who were snoozing overnight there with their cattle. So, I guess I did "live" at the fair that day and night.

The fair established an office for print journalists adjacent to the KWCH-TV studios. Of course, we print journalists were the ones behind the scenes. The TV anchors were schmoozing with their fans at the open air studio next door.

I'd write my stories and send them electronically back to The News. Then, I'd wander around the fairgrounds looking for other ideas. On one of those strolls through the Commercial Building, I had the idea of talking to the people who traveled from state fair to state fair, trying to sell knives, pots and pans, magazine subscriptions, windows or any number of consumer goods.

A persistent encyclopedia "hawker" asked me an important question: "How will you answer your child's question, 'Why is the sky blue?' "

Besides being a newspaper reporter and editor, I was also a mom to a toddler at the time. So the question did make me think - then and throughout the years as both Jill and Brent asked their share of difficult questions.

Thankfully, I resisted the urge to pony up the big bucks for an enormous set of encyclopedias, which would have become an expensive set of paperweights and flower pressers in these days of push-button technology and information.

Nowadays, when you type "Why are winter sunrises and sunsets more colorful?" you get an AI overview that condenses the answer:

Winter sunrises and sunsets are so colorful because the sun is lower in the sky, light travels through more of the atmosphere, scattering blues and leaving reds/oranges, and the air is often cleaner, drier and contains fewer particles (like humidity and haze) that would normally mute colors, allowing longer wavelengths to shine through move vividly. Cooler, drier air, combined with specific clouds, enhances these vibrant displays.

And, if that's not enough to satisfy your curiosity, there are plenty of other articles to explore - all with a simple click on the links.

No matter the science behind the colorful sky, there have been plenty of opportunities to enjoy the unique masterpieces of the Kansas sky in winter - even on unseasonably warm December nights like we found at Quivira on December 27.