Crepuscular rays along the ecliptic at sunset

[naskies]

Hi,

[Correction] These are most likely crepuscular rays, not zodiacal light.

#1. Crepuscular rays along the ecliptic at sunset (click for larger version) (http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13644418/iis/CrepuscularRays.jpg). Stack of 99 frames shot between 18:59 and 19:08 in Brisbane with a Canon 5DmkII + 24-105 mm f/4L @ 24 mm on a fixed tripod.

The bright white streak is the "star trail" left by Venus.

#2. (B&W) Crepuscular rays along the ecliptic again last night.

I missed most of it in my rush to get set up, so I had to manipulate the colours and convert to B&W in order to increase the contrast. The zodiacal light is a bright, wide bar rising up from the horizon (with a small darker region in the middle). Venus can be seen in the lower crepuscular light ray. The bold white line just above the trees on the right side is a patch of cloud.


Cheers,

Dave

[luigi]

Hi Dave,

That's not Zodiacal light. Looks like crepuscular/anticrepuscular rays or shadows from the clouds below the horizon.

In the south hemisphere at this time of the year Zodiacal light can be photographed before sunrise, not after sunset.

You need dark skies, not dusk/dawn skies and zero light pollution to get the zodiacal light in a photo. It looks like a cone but is not defined by straight lights and the shape is the opposite, it's wider at the base.

[DavidTrap]

I'm with Luis on this one - clouds below the horizon makes the most sense to me.

I saw this one afternoon in the last few days, sitting on our back deck - very cool.

DT

[jjjnettie]

I agree, crepuscular rays.
An interesting phenomenon in itself and well worth imaging :)

[astronobob]

Nice strong Creppsies Dave, Zodiacal Light is not as vivid or contrasty as Ceppy rays, Zodiac light will be a broader and smoother glow and normally tavels straight up from the horizon, & yes, from the West, They can sometimes reach the Zenith or further if very good !

Cheers, I like dramatic rays, you have captured them very well .

[naskies]

Thanks guys - sorry for the confusion :)

They didn't look like any crepuscular rays I'd seen before since they were *only* pointing along the ecliptic, and nowhere else in the sky, but given the exposure settings I agree it was unlikely to be zodiacal light.

They were also more of an "absence of pink light" rather than the presence of sunset light that I normally see - must be a weird object/stray cloud somewhere in the distance.

Anyway, I'm happy to agree that it was just a crepuscular ray - thanks for the correction.

For the record, Luis, I have recorded "real" zodiacal light from dark skies + no light pollution + dawn in Summer :)

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=85023

[luigi]

Then you already knew this wasn't zodiacal light.
Dawn is not dusk, ZL is visible before sunrise in late summer & fall or after sunset in late winter & spring.

[zardos123]

these are looking away from the sunset . these are directly east they are probably anti-crepuscular rays it was a very strong affect i have never seen its like before or again. Ether that or sauron's tower popped into existence for a short while
brad

[Paddy]

Nice shots Brad, especially the anti-crepuscular ones.