Arrábida Sun Pillar

June 08, 2010

Portugalpillar

PhotographerMiguel Claro; Miguel's website
Summary Author: Miguel Claro; Jim Foster

The photo above shows a majestic Sun pillar as observed near sunset from the Arrábida Mountains, not far from Lisbon, Portugal. It extended perhaps 10 degrees above the position of the Sun. Sun pillars take shape when ice crystals, most often found in cirrus clouds, are aligned horizontally. However, in order to be seen by an observer at ground level, they need to be slightly tipped so that the sunlight they reflect reaches the surface. This particular pillar was even noticeable after sunset -- reduced glare and skylight along the western horizon made it easier to see. It crept slowly northward following the Sun, which was then hidden below the northwestern horizon. Photo taken on April 26, 2010 at 8:19 p.m. local time.

Photo details:
Camera Maker: Canon; Camera Model: Canon EOS 50D; Lens: 10-20mm; Image Date: 2010-04-26 20:19:55 +0100; Focal Length: 20.0mm; Aperture: f/14.0; Exposure Time: 0.010 s (1/100); ISO equiv: 640; Exposure Bias: none; Metering Mode: Matrix; Exposure: aperture priority (semi-auto); White Balance: Auto; Flash Fired: No (Manual); Color Space: sRGB; Photographer:Miguel Claro; Copyright:Miguel Claro