Cloud Shadow Band
August 08, 2011
Photographer: Ken Scott
Illustration: David Lynch
Summary Authors: Ken Scott; David Lynch
Earlier this summer I was watching some amazing clouds and cloud shadows over the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan near Traverse City, Michigan, when I suddenly noticed the bow-shaped shadow pictured above. This shaded arc is a large shadow of the cloud on the right. According to David Lynch, lead author of "Color and Light in Nature," the arcing is a consequence of perspective and the wide angle of the sky covered by the shadow (almost 180 degrees) as well as its position close to the horizon. The illustration (right) shows the celestial sphere with the shadow of the cloud (like Ken's picture) colored in. On the wide angled photo, note both the crepuscular rays to the right of the shadowed arc and the anticrepuscular rays to the left of the arc. Photo taken on June 30, 2011.
Photo Details: Camera: FUJIFILM FinePix HS20EXR; Focal Length: 4.2mm; Aperture: f/3.2; Exposure Time: 0.0091 s (1/110); ISO equiv: 100.
[11/18]