I get a lot of pictures of those “Hallmark card” sunsets showing thin beaming rays of sunlight like the cover photo that came into Click2Pins.com last weekend.
These rays are called crepuscular rays and are caused when the sun slips below the horizon or behind low clouds, like in Liala’s case, and those clouds produce shadows causing the dark lines, thus the effect on the sun’s rays. This pic was submitted last weekend also, another great example of crepuscular rays:
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What is more rare are anticrepuscular rays which are seen opposite the rising or setting sun. I’ve gotten two such pictures lately with one just this morning from Vickey Wachtel who asked, “What is causing this in the western sky at a little after 7:00 a.m.?”
Well, of course, the sun is causing it, just on the opposite side. Vickey’s photo is a stellar example of morning sunrise anticrepuscular rays occurring in the western sky as the sun rises in the east!
And just two days ago I received a sunset photo showing anticrepuscular rays in the eastern sky as the sun set in the west. MM put this pic on Click2Pins.com with the comment: “Cinco ranch looking East, looks like this shadow is originating from East, how is this possible, Frank?”
Of course, what is confusing is that in both of these pictures you’d think you were watching a sunrise or sunset, but they are opposite the sun. So what happens? The light from the rising or setting sun simply travels across the sky to its antisolar point and is then reflected by the clouds.
Wait, what is an antisolar point? That is the point exactly opposite the sun. Rainbows always form at the antisolar point, for example. Here is more on anticrepuscular rays.
So wherever you are looking this weekend, enjoy the view! Thanks again for all the Click2Pins you send in -- I appreciate them and I know our viewers do, too!
Frank