What's this unusual sunset phenomenon?

RickS (Rick) · #1 18-02-2013, 10:52 PM

I took these photos on the evening of 15 Feb about 5 minutes before sunset at Bombala, in the far south east of NSW. The first was taken facing East and the second was facing West. Unfortunately, I didn't have the presence of mind to grab a few more photos for a panorama.

Any idea what caused this? I've never noticed anything like it before.

Thanks,
Rick.

Octane (Humayun) · #2 18-02-2013, 11:50 PM

Crepuscular and anti-crepuscular rays.

H

RickS (Rick) · #3 19-02-2013, 12:01 AM

Thanks, H! It didn't look like previous examples of crepuscular rays that I've seen but I assumed it had to be something like that...

astronobob (Bob) · #4 19-02-2013, 12:22 AM

Yep, nice catch Rick ! ! The creps at the setting sun in the wst & anti creps in the East !
here a half hearted attempt tying to capture them across the entire sky few yrs ago

RickS (Rick) · #5 19-02-2013, 08:48 AM

Thanks, Bob. Your pic looks a lot more like the crepuscular rays I've seen in the past. In this case there was just a single bright wedge of sky from East to West starting at the horizon.