Went outside tonight to catch the sunset - just in case it was a good picture. It was OK but then I noticed, because of the clouds, there were faint crepuscular rays. Crepuscular rays are beams of sunlight caused by openings in clouds. You might think as you look at the sunset, these rays fan out, eventually disappearing. But that's not what happens. If the conditions are right, you can turn around and look at
the opposite horizon - the anti solar point - and see them converge again. Similar to how parallel railroad tracks appear to converge in the distance ahead of you, but if you turn around, they also converge in the distance behind you. I've only seen them once before - hope you can make them out in the pictures.
Went outside tonight to catch the sunset - just in case it was a good picture. It was OK but then I noticed, because of the clouds, there were faint crepuscular rays. Crepuscular rays are beams of sunlight caused by openings in clouds. You might think as you look at the sunset, these rays fan out, eventually disappearing. But that's not what happens. If the conditions are right, you can turn around and look at 
the opposite horizon - the anti solar point - and see them converge again. Similar to how parallel railroad tracks appear to converge in the distance ahead of you, but if you turn around, they also converge in the distance behind you. I've only seen them once before - hope you can make them out in the pictures.
2 comments:
This very cool! I have read your blog several times and looked at the pictures and I finally see what you are describing. I missed the rays in the first picture, but see them now. Also, looks like the trees are on fire with the sunset.
cjb
Beautiful pics! Carolyn
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