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Unknown White Dots
Name: joe
Status: other
Grade: 9-12
Location: CA
Country: N/A
Date: 6/22/2005
Question:
Why is it that on cold days, or early in the morning or
late in the afternoon when I look up towards the sky I see little white
dots moving all around, the best way to describe them would be tiny
molecules about the thickness of an arm hair or smaller. I see a lot of
them and moving in all different directions and when I blow out air in
front of me I can see how they react. I thought about capturing this on
my cam. but they won't show up, Is there any one out there that see this
also and wonders what they are? air molecules, particles or somethings
else because when I told my girlfriend she though that I'm crazy or that
there's something wrong with my vision. I could swear that these things
are real and they are not dust but tiny white/semi-clear dots moving in
all direction and reacting to the wind. Is it posible for us to see these
particles with our eyes?
Replies:
Joe,
There are many "particles" in the air that can reflect
light as you have seen; they may not be visible to the
naked eye, but reflections of sunlight off of them are
visible. The particles can be ice crystals in
very cold air, or particles of dust, pollen, spider
webs drifting in the wind, etc. At just the right angle,
sunlight can reflect off of them. These may be observed
at any time of day if you are oriented at the right angle
so that the reflections can occur.
David R. Cook
Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry Section
Environmental Research Division
Argonne National Laboratory
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Update: June 2012
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