Formation of Shadows

Core concept

When a light source is close to an object, the shadow appears larger and more spread out; when the light source is far away or directly overhead, the shadow appears shorter and more compact — this is why our shadows are long in the early morning and evening (when the Sun is low) but very short at noon (when the Sun is high overhead). Transparent objects, like clear glass, let light pass through and cast little to no shadow, while translucent objects, like frosted glass, cast a partial, blurry shadow.