Sunrises (and Sunsets) of Arizona

With my time in Arizona setting like the sun, I thought it would be appropriate to dedicate this post to its sunsets (and sunrises). Although I've seen some beautiful sunset(rises) elsewhere, the dramatic colors and frequency of such brilliant displays seems to occur at a much higher frequency.

So what causes these brilliant skies? When the sun sets, light shines through more of the atmosphere, when compared to when the sun is higher in the sky. The light is bent, refracted, and reflected from tiny particles in that atmosphere. A lower frequency results in more warmer colors. 

Beyond the basic science, what makes Arizona's sunset(rises) so spectacular? Due to less moisture in the air, the clouds here are much higher. Such higher clouds reflect more light, with dramatic colors. 

With reduced levels of pollution, more variation in visible light can be seen, particularly those vibrant colors at the far end of the spectrum. It seems that dust (and pollution) actually diffuses or scatters color, resulting in a dull or muted sky. 

The presence of high clouds also greatly chances the chance of  dramatic sunset. These higher (and middle) clouds help intercept unadulterated light. 

I like how the higher clouds in the photo above reflected the orange color, making it appear as if those clouds were on fire.

For those willing to get up earlier and deal with the cooler early morning temperatures, the winter and fall months provide rewarding painterly effects.

Boo - back to the frozen tundra of Wisconsin!

Tweet

Warm Glow of the Saguaro

Yup, this is a far different scene from the last nature photo posted on Monday. I successfully escaped the Wisconsin winter (for a few weeks at least) and am down in sunny Arizona. This morning, I took this photo, just a short distance from the "silver" park where my parents stay for the winter. It's a lonely, single saguaro cactus with Superstition Mountain in the background, but it is what I could access on short notice. Within a few minutes of this photo, the warm glow of the sunrise was gone. 

Tweet

Early Morning walk in a Sunderbans Village

After being awoken at dawn by the unwelcome serenading of a mosquito, I got up and observed my surroundings from the boat’s deck. Still early, everything was quiet. Still low tide, the boat was currently marooned a fair distance on grey clay. The cement dock led to the steeply embanked clay path, over the protective embankment, and into the village. 

Within the hour, the sleepy village residents began to stir. Walking around brushing one’s teeth seemed to be in fashion. A yellow metal iron-gridded school bus trike made its way on the narrow path. A young boy led its black groat through the quiet street. Spotting a small pond with water lilies, I climbed down to its shore. From here I paused for a while, admiring the tranquil scene and several photos as the golden rising sun cast its warm colors and light on the lilies and pads. 

Tweet

Camel Safari, Day Two

The next morning we were treated to a sunrise of flaming pink, purple, and yellows. Not as magical as the sunrise in Nombouri, Mali, but quite stunning. Birds landed on the hump of a camel, silhouetted against the emerging light. The call of peacocks defied the silence. Sheep & goat bells were once again heard. Our kind camel drivers gave us some fresh chai, enabling us to sip the hot drink as we enjoyed the sunrise. Breakfast consumed and gear packed up, we once again were on the move. On the way we stopped by several small villages, including one that was Hindu and another that was Muslim. Still another was occupied by people from the “untouchable” caste. Children ran out to meet us, asking for pens, money, or photos. Most of the homes were constructed out of mud and smoothed with cow dung. Some were circular and had thatched roofs and wooden windows - a picture that could have easily been from Africa. A rickety twig fence held in a small goat. Surrounding the house compound was a wall also made out of mud. Some walls had geometric designs painted in contrasting neutral mud colors. Others were painted white and had turquoise and terra-cotta colored decorations. Near a circular hut with a linear “tree of life” design painted on the outside sat an older woman. Around her upper arms were bangles made from tapering sizes of white plastic bands. From a metal pot she poured out some fresh yogurt for us to taste. A younger woman was busy milking a cow. Inside a rather spartan hut some stick-like pictographs were spotted. One boy had fun taking photos with my friend’s camera and actually composed some good pictures. Would he ever had the opportunity to develop his compositional talent, we wondered? How fortunate we are, that the situation and place we were born into as afforded us with many opportunities and experiences. With limited education, meager finances, and isolated dwelling, his are far more limited….

See more photos of our camel safari on Flickr

Tweet