Mirrored Crepuscular Rays at Bahia, Brazil
April 23, 2019
Photographer: Mario Freitas
Summary Author: Mario Freitas
The above picture was taken facing west, during evening civil twilight in Farol da Barra Beach, Bahia, Brazil, two days before the Southern Hemisphere’s autumnal equinox. Towering clouds near the western horizon (behind the buildings in the background) cast blue shadows onto the Earth’s atmosphere, crossing a brighter, pinkish sky. The colorful hues are due to sunlight scattered by aerosols. The shadowed and brighter fan-shaped lanes are referred to as crepuscular rays. Notice how they seem to diverge because of perspective effects.
It’s low tide and a short-lived, very shallow pool of water lies on the wet sand. The resulting almost specular reflection allows the observer to have a mirrored view of the patterned and colorful sky, including glitter paths of city lights and the historical Santo Antonio’s Fortress lighthouse – its light turned on only a few minutes before this photo was captured. Note also the bending of the reflections caused by the gentle beach gradient.
Photo Details: Camera: Canon PowerShot SX620 HS; Software: ACDSee Pro 6; Exposure Time: 0.025s (1/40); Aperture: ƒ/4.5; ISO equivalent: 800; Focal Length: 9.9mm.