View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Juliana Karoway at Lake Quinsigamond, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, captured this picture on Might 14, 2024. Juliana wrote: “Are you able to please inform me one thing about these clouds? I’ve by no means seen a sundown like this earlier than!” Gladly, Juliana, and thanks for sharing! These are crepuscular rays, sunbeams you’ll be able to see in twilight skies because of small particles within the air. Learn on to search out out extra about them.
What are crepuscular rays?
Crepuscular means resembling twilight or dim. This phenomenon happens round dawn or sundown, when the sun is beneath the horizon. And you can too see crepuscular rays when the sun is hiding behind clouds. They’re extra noticeable when the sky is a bit darker and there may be higher distinction between darkish and light-weight. We will see the rays of sunshine because of dust, smoke or water droplets that scatter the sunshine towards our eyes.
The darker streaks beside the sunbeams are attributable to shadows, the place the terrain or clouds block the daylight from coming via. Typically these obstructions are beneath the horizon out of your viewpoint, so it might not appear instantly clear what’s inflicting the darker rays.
When crepuscular rays lengthen from behind a cloud towards the bottom, additionally they go by the nickname Jacob’s Ladder. The time period comes from a narrative within the Bible the place Jacob has a dream during which he sees a ladder main as much as the golden mild of heaven with angels ascending and descending.
Parallel strains that appear to converge
Crepuscular rays seem to fan throughout the sky. However these sunbeams are actually parallel to one another. In reality, typically you’ll be able to hint all of them the way in which throughout the sky to the purpose on the horizon reverse the sundown. So, the following time you see them, keep in mind to show round. You would possibly spot the fainter and fewer noticeable anticrepuscular rays. The phantasm is just like standing on practice tracks and seeing how they seem to converge within the far distance in entrance of and behind you.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ron Haggett in Yuma, Arizona, captured crepuscular rays (left) and anticrepuscular rays (proper) on the morning of September 1, 2021. He wrote: “These images have been taken 9 minutes aside (6:00 and 6:09 a.m., native time). The picture on the left is wanting east earlier than dawn. Sunbeams can even lengthen throughout the sky and seem to converge on the antisolar point, the purpose on the celestial sphere reverse the sun’s path. On this case, they’re referred to as antisolar rays. The picture on the correct is on the antisolar level (due west).” Thanks, Ron!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Brendan Barnes captured crepuscular rays operating all the way in which throughout the sky on this panoramic picture taken in Guam on October 28, 2020. He wrote: “I awakened this morning to brilliant pink clouds exterior my window, so I ran upstairs to the roof and located crepuscular rays going all the means from the rising sun towards the horizon to the west!” Thanks, Brendan!
Photograph gallery of crepuscular rays
All of those images have been contributed by EarthSky pals. Thanks for sharing your superior images with us! Would you prefer to contribute? Submit your image here.
View at Earthsky Community Photos. | Guy Newlan in Orlando, Florida, captured this picture on August 19, 2023. He wrote: “A cirrocumulus layer was a superb display screen for pre-sunrise crepuscular rays.” Thanks, Man!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jenney Disimon captured these crepuscular rays in Sabah, North Borneo, Malaysia, on April 19, 2023. Jenney wrote: “On waking up, this was what I first noticed. Crepuscular rays because the background of the long-lasting Mt. Kinabalu at daybreak. And someplace hidden was the previous crescent moon. What an superior sight!” Thanks!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Helio C. Vital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, took this picture on March 1, 2023. Helio wrote: “The picture reveals Jupiter and Venus solely 35 arcminutes aside within the midst of brilliant crepuscular rays. Thanks!
Moon rays or moonbeams
James Younger steadily camps at Vancouver Island and catches many great sky sights from its shores. He captured these moon rays (within the clouds above) in August 2017.
Backside line: Crepuscular rays are shadows within the sky of distant terrain or clouds. They type round twilight when particles within the environment replicate the sun’s mild beams towards our eyes. Typically you’ll be able to see anticrepuscular rays on the horizon reverse the sun.
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