 Justin S. |
BIG SUN So, today I was driving down the road late afternoon from the local wolfcamera turned west on a highway and "wow!!!" The sun was hugh... IT was so big it looked like it was going to explode and kill us all. So being the photographer I am, I immediatly pull off the road set up the ol' tripod and snaped aways 3 shots before it had sank/sunk below the horizon. Now, my question is what makes this sun effect happen? I have never seen the sun this big in my life... It was a slight overcast day which had just started to break up in the late afternoon around 8:00pm. Any info on this effect will be much appreciated; I would love to re creat this shot with some time to set up better.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Laura Roth |
I had read, years ago, that the size of the sun and the moon is actually the same during it's trip across the sky, but that when it gets low to the horizon, your eyes have a reference point, so you actually realize how big it really is. This is highly possibly, though I have not been able to find any statements on the internet verifying this... I keep getting statements about the actual calculated size of the sun.(Grrr) Being as the Earth's orbit is elliptical, at certain times of the year the Earth will be closer to the sun and thus it will appear a fraction of a centimeter wider. It could also be a reasonable assumption that atmosphereic conditions can also play a role, since during sunset and sunrise the atmosphereic particles act as a refracting prism, but now I'm just getting too technical. Basically, just try to go back at the same time of day.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Mellanie |
Justin, I recently noticed the huge sun and moon the other evening. My husband stated that the reason why this occurs is from dust in the atmosphere. This will usually be noticeable on a windy day.
|
|
|
|
||
- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
dust makes the halo. distortion from the angle the light takes thru the atmosphere is what makes the sun and moon look bigger low in the horizon. It also makes the sun look a little squashed and wider. Very long focal length will make the sun look bigger from the compression effect.
|
|
|
|
||
pcmlphotography.com - Pamela C.M Lammersen Contact Pamela C.M Lammersen Pamela C.M Lammersen's Gallery |
Hmm very interesting - wish I had seen the sun that night to. I am bummed I missed it actually :-) oh well summer is here and plenty of time I am sure to see it have that effect again. -Pamela
|
|
|
|
||
|
Justin S. |
Thanks guys for the responses. I'm going to try to reshoot the scene agian soon I went out today a scoped out the area and have found my spot. I'm kicking myself for not being more prepared and not having my telephoto lens but you live,you learn. At least I did have my camera with me and have a snapshot to remember it by.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Bob Cammarata |
You will be fortunate if the sunset, light levels, and "smog" levels are consistant to what were prevalent yesterday. That's what's great about sunsets,...you never know what you're going to get until it happens. While I'm no astronomer, I think that impurities in the atmosphere create this phenomenon.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Laura Roth |
Hah! Found a reference, finally... http://www.indiana.edu/~ensiweb/lessons/unt.illu.html Refers specifically to the moon, but same idea.... Excerpt:
|
|
|
|
||
|
Bob Cammarata |
So the mystery is solved. It's all done with "mirrors"...(within our own eyes and minds, so to speak). Thanks for the info Laura.
|
|
|
|
||
- Bob Cournoyer Contact Bob Cournoyer Bob Cournoyer's Gallery  |
It's like when I drive to work in the morning...I come around a corner and ahead of me is a short stretch of road and a few trees between me and Mt Rainier...the mountain looks huge, very huge. Two blocks later, when there are buildings and such between me and the mountain, it as shrunk (shrank?) considerably. My brain has now put the whole mountain in perspective......anyway, yup, mirrors..:-) Bob
|
|
|
|
||
|
Justin S. |
well, I tried to re-do the shot and it isn't happening. at least I have a snap shot to remember it by.
|
|
|
|
||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||