[wxqc] Bright Spot in the Sky

[Evan Bookbinder]

This is getting REALLLLLY off topic. Again, knowing where the sun itself is would be helpful.
The quality/thickness of the cirrus would not suggest that the sun's structure would be that diffuse as photographed.

The only other thing it could be is irridescence, and that would be by far the brightest example I've ever seen. 

It would sure be nice to have some other data. Time of day, direction faced, location of the sun itself.

For now, I will still maintain the sun dog.

As an FYI, I took Atmospheric Optics with the expert himself, Dr. Craig Bohren :) If you guys want a GREAT read, try "Clouds in a Glass of Beer" and "What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks"

Evan


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Victor Engel 
  To: Discussion of weather data quality issues 
  Sent: Monday, August 07, 2006 10:08 AM
  Subject: Re: [wxqc] Bright Spot in the Sky


  I don't think it's a sundog (which is 22 degrees away from the sun and at the same elevation, usually). Look at the shadow detail around the cumulus/cumulonimbus clouds. If you follow the direction of the shadows, you can tell that the bright spot is actually the sun and not a sun dog. If it were a sun dog, the strongest shadows would be pointing elsewhere (orthogonal to the sun's rays). 


  On 8/7/06, Evan Bookbinder <Evan.Bookbinder at noaa.gov> wrote:
    Hanford,

    NEAT!!!!

    In the foreground are obviously some towering cumulus or cumulonimbus associated with showers/storms. Given your location in Orlando, probably sea breeze induced.

    You'll notice that there are some cirrus (ice clouds) above them, which define the nature of the picture you're seeing.

    What are seeing is a phenomenon called a "sun dog" where the suns rays are being scattered through the ice clouds. 

    http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/gallery/index.php?x=browse&category=27&pagenum=1 

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_dog

    Evan




    On 8/6/06, Hanford R Wright <joh69 at earthlink.net> wrote: 
      Hi Evan
      I know that this is slightly off topic but could you please tell me what
      type of cloud I caught in this picture???

      Best Regards

      http://www.wunderground.com/wximage/viewsingleimage.html?mode=singleimage&ha 
      ndle=Bushwacker10&number=0&album_id=0&thumbstart=0&gallery=CURRWEATHER#slide
      anchor


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