Sun Beams Over Benodet

October 28, 2004

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Provided by: Chris Andreae
Summary authors & editors: Chris Andreae; Jim Foster

This awe-inspiring photo was taken just before sunset, this past August, on the coast of South Brittany near Benodet, France. As the mid level (alto) cloud deck encountered the late day Sun, these remarkable rays graced the western sky. Known also as Rays of Buddha and crepuscular rays, they occur when sunlight is partially blocked by clouds (or in some cases mountain tops), resulting in alternating bright and dark rays of sunlight and shadow. Note that the beams diverge or spread out in all directions.

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