Rayleigh scattering

English

Etymology

Named after the British physicist Lord Rayleigh (1842–1919).

Noun

Rayleigh scattering (usually uncountable, plural Rayleigh scatterings)

  1. The elastic scattering of light or other electromagnetic radiation by particles much smaller than the wavelength of the light.
    • 2025 September 6, Priyali Prakash, “Why is a blood moon called so? Sky gazers in India will see a blood moon on September 7 during a total lunar eclipse”, in The Hindu‎[1]:
      Sky gazers in India and in other parts of the world will be able to witness a blood moon on September 7 during a total lunar eclipse. The moon will take on a dark red-copper hue. This is the result of a physical effect called Rayleigh scattering. During a total lunar eclipse, the earth comes between the sun and the moon, blocking direct sunlight from striking the lunar surface. However, not all sunlight is blocked. Only the bluer light is filtered out; the redder light is scattered by the earth's atmosphere, giving the moon its striking colour. This phenomenon is called Rayleigh scattering. The British Nobel laureate John William Strutt (Lord Rayleigh) explained the phenomenon in the 19th century.
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