the setting sun

Image of the Day…” Sunset Over The Atlantic…”

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Dramatic sunset over the Atlantic, seen near Rio

Cool air on the sea surface strongly refracted the setting sun, seen Saturday night from a small town near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Cool series of images!

January 17 sunset by Helio de Carvalho Vital. Shot 1 of 6.

Helio de Carvalho Vital wrote:

That the strong refraction next to the horizon flattens the image of the setting sun is no surprise to anyone. But what if the sun suddenly becomes shaped like a mushroom? Saturday evening [January 17, 2015], I took some photos of the sun setting over the Atlantic Ocean from Saquarema, a small city 100 km east of downtown Rio de Janeiro.

The local air temperature was 34°C but the seawater was only 21°C. Thus a layer of cooler air formed on the surface of the sea.

As sunlight crossed that layer to reach my camera, it underwent a complex series of refractions and reflections that severely distorted the image of the sun, making it acquire very unusual shapes.

A Canon Powershot SX60 HS was used for all the shots, taken at 21:39-41 UTC.

After sunset that same evening, Venus and Mercury appeared!

January 17 sunset by Helio de Carvalho Vital. Shot 2 of 6.

January 17 sunset by Helio de Carvalho Vital. Shot 3 of 6.

January 17, 2015 sunset by Helio de Carvalho Vital. Shot 4 of 6.

January 17, 2015 sunset by Helio de Carvalho Vital. Shot 5 of 6.

After sunset on January 17, as the sky began to darken, Venus and Mercury popped into view in the western sky. Photo by Helio de Carvalho Vital.

Bottom line: Series of images of Saturday night’s amazing sunset, seen over the Atlantic from a small town near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

SOURCE::: http://www.earthskynews.org

Natarajan

Jan 21 2015