Anticrepuscular Rays Over Melbourne, Florida

September 14, 2017

Anticrep_Rays_IndianLagoon_

Photographer: Michael Seeley
Summary Author: Michael Seeley

A few weeks ago I stepped out to watch the full Moon rise over the Indian River Lagoon near Melbourne, Florida. While waiting, I couldn't help but notice these eye-catching rays. At first, I thought they might be somehow related to the Moon rising behind the building clouds, shown just above the eastern horizon. However, these are anticrepuscular rays, formed by sunlight streaming through cloud gaps near the western horizon that project across the entire sky. Perspective makes them appear to converge at the antisolar point, close to where the full Moon rises. Photo taken on August 7, 2017.

Photo Details: Photo taken at 8:16 p.m. about 9 minutes after sunset; ISO 800; f5.6; 1/125 sec. exposure. 

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