Thematic Optical sky phenomena: Rainbows, halos, mirages etc

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 03-29-2013, 06:10 AM

Originally posted by Sagitta

All double-posting up in here (because I didn't realize we weren't limited to just rainbows).

Last summer we had a storm roll in just as we were headed into Sam's Club to do some shopping.

By the time we left and drove the half hour home, the sky had turned blood red. This second shot is SOOC and was rendered pretty darn accurately by the Pentax sensor.

To get that red sky, it takes a lot of dust particles in the air (what we call aerosol particles). Since they scatter the light, and since they do it differently for different wave lengths of the light, you get a more red sky.

ErZi · 03-30-2013, 02:40 AM

Some halos from December. I went to shoot stars and this was the only picture I got

TenZ.NL · 03-30-2013, 03:22 AM - **1 Like**

This is an oldie, it was my first shootout with the DA14. Finally got something wide and then the subject still would not fit

Under the rainbow

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 03-30-2013, 03:26 AM

Originally posted by TenZ.NL

This is an oldie, it was my first shootout with the DA14. Finally got something wide and then the subject still would not fit

Under the rainbow

I know, the DA fisheye is the only lens I have that can cover a complete rainbow. You need to learn stitching. Nice shot anyway!

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 03-30-2013, 03:30 AM

Originally posted by ErZi

Some halos from December. I went to shoot stars and this was the only picture I got

I looks similar to the halo pillars you can see vertically through the sun or the moon. But I think it isn't high altitude cirrus ice crystals here that reflected the light. It looks like each pillar connects to a light source on the ground, right? Then the crystals must be much closer, but if it was cold enough you could have had an ice fog, and then this could happen.

TenZ.NL · 03-30-2013, 05:06 AM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

I know, the DA fisheye is the only lens I have that can cover a complete rainbow. You need to learn stitching. Nice shot anyway!

Yeah, I know but only realised this later

Thanks anyway.

ErZi · 03-30-2013, 05:32 AM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

I looks similar to the halo pillars you can see vertically through the sun or the moon. But I think it isn't high altitude cirrus ice crystals here that reflected the light. It looks like each pillar connects to a light source on the ground, right? Then the crystals must be much closer, but if it was cold enough you could have had an ice fog, and then this could happen.

You are right. I was thinking that it is the same phenomena "light pillar" that you can some times see with sun. These ones were quite low and temperature was below freezing. Maybe sea was not frozen yet so that could be source of that humidity because I don't remember any sightings from the inland.

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 03-30-2013, 07:02 AM

Originally posted by ErZi

You are right. I was thinking that it is the same phenomena "light pillar" that you can some times see with sun. These ones were quite low and temperature was below freezing. Maybe sea was not frozen yet so that could be source of that humidity because I don't remember any sightings from the inland.

Anyway, the picture makes me expect some space ship rising from behind the pine trees...

**RichardS** · 03-30-2013, 08:48 PM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

Sorry for my slow response. Have been working too much this winter and not had time for the forum.
What you have in that excellent shot is a deck of cirrus clouds, that means ice chrystal clouds at a height of about 10km. The pattern is caused by gravity waves in the atmosphere. Such waves are common and often leave no trace that we can see without sophisticated instruments. However, sometimes a cloud is so close to forming chrystals (or droplets) that the vertical motion caused by the waves are enough to form and evaporate the clouds in the upward and downward parts of the wave, respectively. There can be gravity waves of different wavelenght, or even different directions present at the same time. It looks like you have that in part of the image, which cause the criss-cross pattern as the waves cross each other and superimpose. Sometimes you can observe the corresponding behavior on small water surface waves when waves from different sources meet. The gravity waves are typically created by for example fronts, high storm clouds, air flow over mountains etc.

Thanks, Douglas. Ah, yes ... work

Richard.

rob1234 · 05-13-2013, 11:21 AM

Sunrise over Didcot Power Station:

K5
DA*55
f/5.6

Sagitta · 05-16-2013, 07:43 PM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

I know, the DA fisheye is the only lens I have that can cover a complete rainbow. You need to learn stitching. Nice shot anyway!

Makes me feel better about the decision to go with the Sigma 10-20mm then.

I was tossing a bunch of different UWAs trhough the ol' brainpan trying to decide on one and went with the Sigma due to the constant aperture and odd number of blades. This is at 10mm. I kind of went to twon with the post processing since at ISO1600 any attempt at making the rainbow pop resulted in a mess of grainy noise. I hadn't even noticed the second rainbow until I was processing it, otherwise I would have tilted up a touch more.

**paulh** · 03-12-2014, 08:03 AM

the moon & clouds at sunset...

**jacamar** · 03-17-2014, 07:15 AM

Apologies for the quality, but this is a scan of a slide I took from the top of a water tower in Malawi about 40 years ago. The sunset was behind me. A long time before my first Pentax - the camera was a Mamiya Ranger as I recall.

SpecialK · 05-06-2014, 05:49 PM

This rainbow sky persisted for a good while.

**paulh** · 06-12-2014, 11:03 AM

(xposted from minimalist thread)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
The Asian Model Phenomena	benjikan	General Talk	5	12-11-2009 04:46 PM
halos with smc manual lenses	warpedwoof	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	10	03-17-2009 03:49 AM
Halos around lights.	hahifuheho	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	3	01-28-2009 09:51 PM
My Rainbows in NC!!	arpaagent	Post Your Photos!	9	01-08-2009 11:14 AM
halos in the o.c.	todd	Post Your Photos!	0	10-09-2008 02:15 PM

03-29-2013, 06:10 AM	#106
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374 Original Poster	Originally posted by Sagitta All double-posting up in here (because I didn't realize we weren't limited to just rainbows). Last summer we had a storm roll in just as we were headed into Sam's Club to do some shopping. By the time we left and drove the half hour home, the sky had turned blood red. This second shot is SOOC and was rendered pretty darn accurately by the Pentax sensor. To get that red sky, it takes a lot of dust particles in the air (what we call aerosol particles). Since they scatter the light, and since they do it differently for different wave lengths of the light, you get a more red sky.

03-30-2013, 02:40 AM	#107
ErZi Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Espoo, Finland Photos: Gallery Posts: 70	Some halos from December. I went to shoot stars and this was the only picture I got

03-30-2013, 03:22 AM - 1 Like	#108
TenZ.NL Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Below sealevel Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,100	This is an oldie, it was my first shootout with the DA14. Finally got something wide and then the subject still would not fit Under the rainbow

03-30-2013, 03:26 AM	#109
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374 Original Poster	Originally posted by TenZ.NL This is an oldie, it was my first shootout with the DA14. Finally got something wide and then the subject still would not fit Under the rainbow I know, the DA fisheye is the only lens I have that can cover a complete rainbow. You need to learn stitching. Nice shot anyway!

03-30-2013, 03:30 AM	#110
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374 Original Poster	Originally posted by ErZi Some halos from December. I went to shoot stars and this was the only picture I got I looks similar to the halo pillars you can see vertically through the sun or the moon. But I think it isn't high altitude cirrus ice crystals here that reflected the light. It looks like each pillar connects to a light source on the ground, right? Then the crystals must be much closer, but if it was cold enough you could have had an ice fog, and then this could happen.

03-30-2013, 05:06 AM	#111
TenZ.NL Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Below sealevel Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,100	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden I know, the DA fisheye is the only lens I have that can cover a complete rainbow. You need to learn stitching. Nice shot anyway! Yeah, I know but only realised this later Thanks anyway.

03-30-2013, 05:32 AM	#112
ErZi Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Espoo, Finland Photos: Gallery Posts: 70	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden I looks similar to the halo pillars you can see vertically through the sun or the moon. But I think it isn't high altitude cirrus ice crystals here that reflected the light. It looks like each pillar connects to a light source on the ground, right? Then the crystals must be much closer, but if it was cold enough you could have had an ice fog, and then this could happen. You are right. I was thinking that it is the same phenomena "light pillar" that you can some times see with sun. These ones were quite low and temperature was below freezing. Maybe sea was not frozen yet so that could be source of that humidity because I don't remember any sightings from the inland.

03-30-2013, 07:02 AM	#113
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374 Original Poster	Originally posted by ErZi You are right. I was thinking that it is the same phenomena "light pillar" that you can some times see with sun. These ones were quite low and temperature was below freezing. Maybe sea was not frozen yet so that could be source of that humidity because I don't remember any sightings from the inland. Anyway, the picture makes me expect some space ship rising from behind the pine trees...

03-30-2013, 08:48 PM	#114
RichardS Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Nelson Bay, NSW, Australia Posts: 2,418	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden Sorry for my slow response. Have been working too much this winter and not had time for the forum. What you have in that excellent shot is a deck of cirrus clouds, that means ice chrystal clouds at a height of about 10km. The pattern is caused by gravity waves in the atmosphere. Such waves are common and often leave no trace that we can see without sophisticated instruments. However, sometimes a cloud is so close to forming chrystals (or droplets) that the vertical motion caused by the waves are enough to form and evaporate the clouds in the upward and downward parts of the wave, respectively. There can be gravity waves of different wavelenght, or even different directions present at the same time. It looks like you have that in part of the image, which cause the criss-cross pattern as the waves cross each other and superimpose. Sometimes you can observe the corresponding behavior on small water surface waves when waves from different sources meet. The gravity waves are typically created by for example fronts, high storm clouds, air flow over mountains etc. Thanks, Douglas. Ah, yes ... work Richard.

05-13-2013, 11:21 AM	#115
rob1234 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Wiltshire/Hampshire Photos: Albums Posts: 1,760	Sunrise over Didcot Power Station: K5 DA*55 f/5.6

05-16-2013, 07:43 PM	#116
Sagitta Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,081	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden I know, the DA fisheye is the only lens I have that can cover a complete rainbow. You need to learn stitching. Nice shot anyway! Makes me feel better about the decision to go with the Sigma 10-20mm then. I was tossing a bunch of different UWAs trhough the ol' brainpan trying to decide on one and went with the Sigma due to the constant aperture and odd number of blades. This is at 10mm. I kind of went to twon with the post processing since at ISO1600 any attempt at making the rainbow pop resulted in a mess of grainy noise. I hadn't even noticed the second rainbow until I was processing it, otherwise I would have tilted up a touch more.

03-12-2014, 08:03 AM	#117
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,273	the moon & clouds at sunset...

03-17-2014, 07:15 AM	#118
jacamar Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Toronto Photos: Albums Posts: 3,443	Apologies for the quality, but this is a scan of a slide I took from the top of a water tower in Malawi about 40 years ago. The sunset was behind me. A long time before my first Pentax - the camera was a Mamiya Ranger as I recall.

05-06-2014, 05:49 PM	#119
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,481	This rainbow sky persisted for a good while.

06-12-2014, 11:03 AM	#120
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,273	(xposted from minimalist thread)