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Moonlight Polarization in a Hazy Sky

Real Rayleigh single-scattering polarization of moonlight rendered across a 3D sky dome — drag to orbit, click any point to read its exact degree and angle of polarization, and dial in haze to see multiple scattering depolarize the sky.

Physics & Mechanics3DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version
3d-moonlight-polarization-scattering ↗ Open standalone

Just like sunlight, moonlight scattered by air molecules becomes linearly polarized — and the pattern is real, measurable, and used by some nocturnal animals for orientation. This 3D sky dome computes the exact Rayleigh single-scattering polarization degree and axis at every point relative to the Moon's position, colors the dome by degree of polarization, draws the local E-vector orientation as a field of tick marks, and lets you dial in haze to watch multiple scattering wash the pattern out, or sweep a simulated polarizing filter across the sky using the real transmission law.

⚙ Under the hood

Real Rayleigh single-scattering polarization of moonlight mapped across a 3D sky dome relative to the Moon's position — drag to orbit, click a point to read its degree and angle of polarization, and dial in haze or a polarizing filter to see the pattern change live.

rayleigh-scatteringpolarizationatmospheric-opticsphysicshalloween

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install

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