How does the Earth’s atmosphere obscure stars at night, beyond just creating the blue daytime sky?

Answer

It scatters any available light, making the background brighter through airglow or skyglow

Even when the Sun is below the horizon, the Earth's atmosphere remains active in obscuring starlight. The air still contains various molecules and aerosols that scatter whatever light is present, including starlight, moonlight, or artificial light. This process results in a phenomenon termed airglow or skyglow, which brightens the background against which stars are viewed. For a star to be noticed, it must be significantly brighter than this natural or artificially enhanced background sky brightness. In populated areas, this scattering elevates the background far beyond its natural state, effectively washing out fainter celestial objects.

How does the Earth’s atmosphere obscure stars at night, beyond just creating the blue daytime sky?

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