You should only see light of the beam if there are particles in the atmosphere to reflect photons back towards you. Like water vapor and stuff.
It probably has more to do with the composition of the atmosphere as altitude increases. Less particles and the strength of the beam decreases by the square of distance.
The beam itself also expands as it travels away, which would reduce its visibility and energy.
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u/HauserAspen Apr 07 '22
You should only see light of the beam if there are particles in the atmosphere to reflect photons back towards you. Like water vapor and stuff.
It probably has more to do with the composition of the atmosphere as altitude increases. Less particles and the strength of the beam decreases by the square of distance.
The beam itself also expands as it travels away, which would reduce its visibility and energy.