the view from down here

[Jack Speer]

I read an article the other day, something like "10 things you didnt know about the sky". One stated that if you fell into a well and looked up (in daytime) you would see stars. If this is so, it seems to be a matter of blocking enough light to see the stars. then how come you cant see stars in day time with a telescope? After all using the scope is similar to being in the well. How about a fairly long shade extension on the scope? Or is the original statement simply not true? Just make me go HMMMMM??

[KeithBC]

if you fell into a well and looked up (in daytime) you would see stars.

Don't believe everything you read. Especially if you read it on the Internet.

The lack of stars in the daytime is due to more than just the glare of the sun (which is what you would eliminate by going down a deep well). It is mostly due to the air scattering sunlight. From down a well, you are still looking through as much air as at ground level, so you are not going to see stars in daytime.

[jenniferchristine]

Once in a while you'll get a day which has a very low humidity and low turbulence - if you then look up it looks very dark vertically as there's not as much dispertion, but I think you'd be hard pressed to see stars unless someone clocked you with a baseball bat at the same time

[Jack Speer]

Thanks Kieth. Actually I didn't believe it, J just was casting about for a starting place to reason it through. you took me all the way through. thanks.

"unless someone clocked you with a baseball bat" It was only a matter of time and I figured it would come from you. Thanks for thinking outside the box for me - keeps me sane.