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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Sun Pillar in Pink


sun pillarJust in case, for some odd reason, you didn't like the sun pillar in orange, I'm happy to provide you with one in pink. Yup... we had another one this morning. And I have a bit of an answer to the question about how long they last. This one, at any rate. I was getting a cup of coffee at 7:38 and looked out the kitchen window. I THOUGHT I was seeing the faint beginnings of a pillar forming, so I went and got the camera. I took my first picture at 7:39.

The first picture I'm showing you was taken at 7:41. This was the tallest that the pillar rose, just a bit over 20 degrees (as measured by two hand widths).

sun pillar

This is just a longer view, to put it in a bit of perspective.

sun pillar with rising sun

By 7:46, the sun was rising, and I really wanted to show how the ball of the sun was visible above the horizon. It's there, all right, but the brightness "burned out" the lens and made those "wings" of light. And yet, the pillar was still there. In another minute, it was gone. It didn't disappear all at once, but shrunk, becoming shorter and shorter and the sun got higher.

sun behind clouds

Oddly, by 8:17, the sun had turned so cold that it looked like the moon!


See Sun Pillar from 1999
See Sun Pillar


10 comments:

rainfield61 said...

When the sun turned so cold, it looked like the moon.

And vice versa.

Ann said...

Wow, that is one impressive morning cup of coffee. What a difference a half hour made in the sky too.

Duxbury Ramblers said...

That must have been the start of a wonderful day, the sun pillar is now on my list of must see and photograph before I pop my clogs :)

wenn said...

amazing!

Dick Stone said...

there is something about the early morning or late evening sun that makes for some awesome photos

jeanlivingsimple said...

What an impressive early morning view! I am jealous.

Chubskulit Rose said...

Oh wow, how lucky you are to have captured those moments! Lovely!

Ferd said...

Great pillars!
I'm not seeing any around here these days. Could it be that it's because it was 75 degrees in Winston today?
:-)

Secondary Roads said...

Those are great shots! Isn't it fun to see sun pillars, sun dogs and the like?

RNSANE said...

That is a great accompaniment to a morning cup of coffee, Joan!