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Does it have to do with moisture in the air? Does it have to do with the window itself? Could the light reflect/refract off of the air? If there were no moisture or smoke or dust, just air, would I see the beam of light? What part does contrast of the light compared to the rest of the room have to do with visibility of the light in "mid-air?" IT looks like this

http://mayazest.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-to-make-volumetric-lights-and-fog.html

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  • $\begingroup$ Google for "god ray" images. One can see sunlight in the air... there is always enough scattering to see it, if the contrast is high enough. $\endgroup$
    – CuriousOne
    Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 5:54
  • $\begingroup$ I know you can see beams of light outside sometimes too... Why though? Why do I see specific beams of light? Would I see those beams if there were nothing in the air, no moisture, dust, etc.? $\endgroup$
    – Daniel
    Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 6:05
  • $\begingroup$ The blue sky is nothing but scattered sunlight, you just don't see individual rays because there is not aperture to create a contrast between light and dark areas. With the right cloud formations nature makes that aperture for you for scattering in the lower atmosphere. $\endgroup$
    – CuriousOne
    Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 6:07
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for your help, but it really doesn't answer my question. $\endgroup$
    – Daniel
    Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 6:09
  • $\begingroup$ Maybe someone can draw it out for you, it's really just a geometry problem. $\endgroup$
    – CuriousOne
    Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 6:10

1 Answer 1

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You generally need 2 things:

  • scatterers (there are always some)
  • especially for low amount of scatterers, have your gaze direction close to the light incidence, because it maximize the number of illuminated scatterers in a row in your point of view. This is why you see god rays through clouds or at mountain silhouettes in the sky.

This is also the reason why you see a laser beam, and why you see it better when it point closer to your direction. (In a true Stars War, you won't see laser in the vacuum, at least before the first explosion of some starship).

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  • $\begingroup$ You wouldn't see the laser move either for that matter, meaning ships would seem to emit bright light then explode. Considering that there would be no noise, a real star wars battle would be a little confusing. $\endgroup$
    – Neil
    Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 12:00
  • $\begingroup$ I meant that if the laser is still on in the dust of debris, you'll see the beam via illuminated dust. $\endgroup$
    – Fabrice NEYRET
    Commented Mar 9, 2016 at 21:01

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