On a clear day, the sky typically appears blue. This blue color is a result of Rayleigh scattering, a process where the shorter blue wavelengths of sunlight are scattered in all directions by the gases and particles in the Earth's atmosphere. When the sun is at its highest point, its light has to pass through less atmosphere, allowing blue light to dominate our view. The intensity of the blue can vary depending on factors like air pollution, humidity, and time of day. Near sunset or sunrise, the sky can shift to beautiful reds and oranges due to increased scattering of longer wavelengths.