This display of cirrus radiatus was one of the most visually peculiar and symbolically striking sunrise formations I’ve ever witnessed, but the physical explanation is easy. Nearly evenly spaced cirrus bands, aligned south to north across the southern sky, actually were parallel to each other. As with slats in a set of vertical blinds, but more translucent, each shaded the next to its right (west) somewhat, except for the bright swaths on the bottoms that caught the uninterrupted light. The converging of the cloud bands in the distance is an illusion, much like converging road lines toward a horizon, or like the apparent spreading of crepuscular rays. Science aside, this was a rare treat to behold!
Norman OK (29 May 17) Looking S
35.1813, -97.4407Radial Rise
This display of cirrus radiatus was one of the most visually peculiar and symbolically striking sunrise formations I’ve ever witnessed, but the physical explanation is easy. Nearly evenly spaced cirrus bands, aligned south to north across the southern sky, actually were parallel to each other. As with slats in a set of vertical blinds, but more translucent, each shaded the next to its right (west) somewhat, except for the bright swaths on the bottoms that caught the uninterrupted light. The converging of the cloud bands in the distance is an illusion, much like converging road lines toward a horizon, or like the apparent spreading of crepuscular rays. Science aside, this was a rare treat to behold!
Norman OK (29 May 17) Looking S
35.1813, -97.4407