Sun Pillar ~ Autumn Sunset over a Permafrost Forest ~ Alaska North Star
Copyright © Sharon Mau 2009
All Rights Reserved
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A spectacular bolt of scarlet red light beams straight up into the night sky at sunset.
I photographed this amazing sight with a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Shooting Date/Time 17 September 2007 20:11:42
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/100
Av( Aperture Value ) 6.3
ISO Speed 400
Lens EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Focal Length 65.0 mm
“Reds, yellows and golds arise because the air itself, small dust and aerosol particles smaller than the wavelengths of visible light, ‘Rayleigh scatterers’, scatter short wavelength blue and green rays much more strongly than longer wavelength yellow and red. The remaining direct unscattered light is dimmed but relatively enriched in reds and yellows. Absorption of specific green and blue wavelengths by ozone and water vapour molecules redden the light further.
The sunset rays are sometimes reflected back and forth between clouds and the ground. All this goes to makes a spectacle seemingly painted with every colour and shade of the palette. Pillars are created by reflections from approximately horizontal crystal faces but the side faces of columns are inclined at all angles.
The key is that the crystals have orderly orientations – they do not tumble. A ‘singly oriented column’ drifts with its long axis nearly horizontal and has two rotational freedoms. Its long axis can point in all azimuthal, NSEW, directions. The crystal adopts all rotational positions around the long axis.”
A sun pillar is a vertical shaft of light extending upward or downward from the sun. Typically seen during sunrise or sunset, sun pillars form when sunlight reflects off the surfaces of falling ice crystals associated with thin, high-level clouds such as cirrostratus.
The hexagonal plate-like ice crystals fall with a horizontal orientation, gently rocking from side to side as they fall. When the sun is low on the horizon, an area of brightness appears in the sky above (or below) the sun as sunlight is reflected off the surfaces of these tipped ice crystals. ~ Hyper Physics Atmospheric Optics
Sun Pillar ~ Autumn Sunset over a Permafrost Forest ~ Alaska North Star belongs to the following groups:
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Rainy
Great shot!
Marilyn Harris
Wow!!! Stunning work Sharon!! :o)
Anthony Mancuso
beautiful image Sharon, well done
Ron Fitzgerald
Simply a magical image, well done.
Cora Wandel
Sharon, another great shot here!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo dearest Cora, thank you so much!
Blair Wainman
One of my all-time favorites Sharon! What an amazing phenomena and you have captured it so well with the silhouette of the trees! Beautiful shot and instant favorite!!!
Béla Török
Oh, I remember this picture! fabulous image my dear friend!
Diane Schuster
Just gorgeous! Beautiful color and silhouettes!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Diane, thank you so much for your kind note!
Angie McKenzie
love love love it!!! gorgeous capture!!!!!
lorilee
Gorgeous – love the tree silhouettes!!!!!!
Marjorie Wallace
This has long been a favorite of yours, Sharon. Some amazing shots you got in Alaska last Winter. This one is breath taking!
Fremme
great shot, love the lighing effect and great colors, great job on the composition as well, great shot
Hank Rodriguez
Hawaii…Alaska…They saved the two most beautiful states for last. Sharon…I am so glad you have been posting these really gorgeous shots. You have every right to be as proud as a Hawaiian Punch!
Was the sky really this orange? ...and no photo captures the magnificence you actually witness, so I can only imagine your exhilarated feelings at the time. My oh my!
Sharon Mau replied
‘Ae, thank you so much Hank. Oh yes, this was an absolutely dazzling sight to see!
Gyuri Nagy
Breathtaking beautiful my dear friend!
down23
WOW!!!! What a phenomenal capture! Sooooo beautiful!
Ann7f
whoa…you could knock me over with a feather at this point…..w-o-w :.)
Sharon Mau replied
Aloha sweetheart!! I am delighted to hear from you Annie, thank you so much!!
LudaNayvelt
love warm feeling of this image. Very nice, Sharon.
Erhan OZBIYIK
One of the GREATEST SHOTS of my life… I really mean this.. Well, I am not a proffesional photographer and not even educated for it.. Self taught.. But this one deserves to be in my own favs.. Click on my profile and hit to “Shots & Masters UNTOUCHED”...
Great shot !!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo dearest Erhan, thank you so much for your kindness!
Serenity Stewart
Great shot!!! I love the colors!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Serenity!
kathy s gillen...
Congratulations this photo has been featured in Canon DSLR.
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo dearest Kathy!
Rachel Stickney
I love this photo so much, Sharon! It is one my favorites of yours! It’s also what got me started participating in the WS community, so I thank you for sharing and getting me back into photography again. Congratulations on your well deserved feature in Canon DSLR!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo sweetheart, thank you so much Rachel!
Cora Wandel
Sharon, great image and words, and welcome again to ImageWriting!
Your Hosts,
Anne-Marie & Cora
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo dearest Cora!
stickelsimages
What an awesome shot Sharon! Love it! Cheers Lee
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Lee, I am delighted you enjoy it!
kentuckyblueman
Congratulations on your well deserved feature ,well done!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo my dearest friend, thank you so much Steve!
Larry Trupp
How can I forget this image Sharon (umpa1)
Sharon Mau replied
Aloha dearest friend, I am delighted to see your here Larry! Thank you!
Cora Wandel
Congratulations Sharon!
Your Hosts,
Anne-Marie & Cora
Sharon Mau replied
Thank you so much Cora, mahalo a nui loa!!
amarica
Congratulations on being featured in the ImageWrigint group!!! and all your other features for this popular beautiful work of art…
Jenny Brice
You have captured the spectacular beauty of the scene perfectly, and thank you too, for the explanation of the phenomena.
karenuk1969
Beautiful, love the warm red.
Larry Trupp
My CONGRATULATIONS on this fine feature, nicely done indeed.
Gilly1
Wow…Gorgeous….
Rick & Deb Larson
Breathtaking – Congratulations on your well deserved feature . Great work.
Classicperfection
WOW – This is incredibly beautiful. The warm tones and silhouettes are simply stunning.
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo, thank you so much for your kindness!
amarica
Featured again!!! Well done Sweetie…Congratulations on being featured in the That One Great Shot group!!!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo sweetheart, thank you again! I am delighted with the wonderful response on this image.
Joanne Bradley
Spectacular shot and wonderful description, congrats on ImageWriting feature!
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Joanne, thank you so much!
Teresa Zieba
I remember this fabulous image. Outstanding art sweetie. Magnificent is the word that comes to mind when I look at it.
Al Williscroft
Wow amazing capture!!!
henrihan
I’ve always loved this shot of you Sharon, the sun pillar and colours are truly wonderful.
John Radosevich
simply fabulous!
Eva and Klaus ...
Perfect work, love this!!!
Ciaran O'Hagan
amazing colours….wow…amazing!! love this
DJ LeMay
It just doesn’t get ANY BETTER THAN THIS!!! Stunningly FABULOUS!! Congratulations Sharon!
ilpo laurila
Really great shot, great color.
Linda Callaghan
fabulous shot – great colours
Steve Buffington
Wow. What a sight. What a capture. Well done. I sure hope I get to Alaska someday.
ShaunW
Wonderful colours, superb!
sulaartist
Fabulous shot !!
bubbleblue
wonderful shot
Steve Chapple
What a powerful image, stunning broodiness in that colour.
Lyn Evans
Awesome skies, unbelievable beautiful
Rick & Deb Larson
We’ve always loved this shot!! Take Care. Deb & Rick
Sharon Mau
Aloha kakahiaka, good morning my friends. Mahalo nui. I have hundreds of images at the same location on this evening as this amazing atmospheric optic was taking place and each image is different with an array of pastel lavender, pink and blue hues as the light shifted and shimmered in the night sky. I have been considering a series. I am happy to hear from you. I wish you a lovely day.
valzart
Aww excellent sweetheART congratz my lovely ;} happy hippy hugglez
rodsfotos
This is such a beautiful silhouetted sunset composition Sharon, the intensity of the red tones in that beautiful sky over the forest and that shaft of light in the centre adding it’s own element of magic to the moment, beautifully captured and may I add my congratulations on the many well deserved features,
Regards, Rod.
Stephen Vecchi...
This one is a real winner Sharon….great light especially in the center !
Lynda McDonald
a most amazing image Sharon, very interesting writeup, congratulattions on it’s many well deserved features
Sharon Mau
Dawnsky2
what a beauty ! :)
Qba from Poland
Wow, stunning colors and lighting. Really a great shot !!
Rosina Lamberti
Great shot!!! I love the colors!
ShepS
Love the burnt orange sky – beautiful shot
Robert Gingher
Extraordinary capture here!
Ellen Price
Stunning..excellant work!!!
Milos Markovic
Mesmerizing piece of artwork !
Sharon Mau replied
Mahalo Milos. It is a photograph, straight from the camera. I am happy you enjoy it!
Ushna Sardar
its beautiful sweetheart Sharon! huggles xo
reflector
Amazing colours and lighting ! Great shot !
Jens Helmstedt
Really a wonderful shot!
jdmphotography
Gorgeous depth and colour ! ….
Kelly Robinson
OMG what an amazing image
cindylu
STUNNING!
Daniel J. McCa...
Beauty, Sharon! Great color! Very unique! Super capture!
Tom Vaughan
terrific image!
Karen Tillotson 26 days ago
Big huge WOW!
djphoto 1 day ago
mesmerizing and enchanting