why does the sun look red/orange at sun set and dawn but not in the rest of the day

Question: why does the sun look red/orange at sun set and dawn but not in the rest of the day
- Keywords:
  atmosphere,
  blue,
  dawn,
  day,
  dusk,
  orange,
  red,
  rise,
  set,
  sky,
  sun,
  sunset
Asked by theonetheonlyphyllis to Alan, Murray, Sarah on 25 Mar 2011.
- Sarah Thomas answered on 25 Mar 2011:
  
  The colours of the sky depend on the distance light has to travel and the particles that are in the atmosphere than can scatter it.
  
  Particles in our atmosphere that are approximately the same size as the wavelength of visible light cause the white light from the sun to scatter and split into individual components. Oxygen and Nitrogen (the main components of our atmosphere) scatter violet and blue light due to their small size. This is why the sky appears to be blue in the day time, especially at midday when the Sun is closest to us.
  
  During sunrise and sunset the distance that the light has to travel from the Sun to us is at its greatest. This means the a large amount of blue and violet light has been scattered so the light that is received by an observer is mostly of a longer wavelength and therefore appears to be red!!
  
  cool question! hope my answer makes sense!!

Question: why does the sun look red/orange at sun set and dawn but not in the rest of the day