Hello, I'm new here

[mojavered]

Hello. My name is Erin and I am new to this board but have been viewing APOD photos for years now. In truth, I am not really sure how often I'll be able to visit this board. What brought me here was something I saw in the eastern sky yesterday after the sun had set. I have only seen this one other time since I moved out here. I live in Los Angeles county, on the extreme western edge of the Mojave desert, where the desert meets the mountains. What I saw in the sky looks a great deal like the last rays of the sun shining into the sky in that iconic way with rays clearly visible, even though the sun has completely set, only what I am seeing is in the east and not in the west so it's got me really confused.

I would like to post a picture of it to see if anybody here can help explain what it is but the rules say not to post images unless I have made 10 posts and Im not sure that's going to happen. I have learned a great deal from APOD over the years, like the Venus Belt and Sun Pilars. Things I'd never seen before I moved out here but thanks to APOD, now know what they are. But this is something I have never seen on APOD before and I am very curious about what it is. I am hoping that there is somebody here who can explain it to me.

Thank you so much for your time. I hope Im not breaking any rules.

[geckzilla]

Anticrepuscular rays?



Yes, there's an APOD, too!

[mojavered]

It sure sounds like that might be it, but there were no clouds in the sky. At least, not in the east. I dont recall if there were in the west. I am going to look the term up in Flickr and see if there are some examples there where there are no clouds involved.

Thank you so much!!!

[mojavered]

Yes, that is it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! Its been driving me crazy for years now.

[ObsidianKaiser]

Thanks both of you so much... little birthday gift to me

You just putted some words on what I saw.
The sky was looking like cut in two parts, I was so amazed by a such picture in my eyes...

[ObsidianKaiser]

Here's the picture

[attachment=0]obsiKai.jpg[/attachment]
http://iceburner.olympe-network.com/wor ... 183116.jpg

am I wrong, is this anticrepuscular rays ?

[Chris Peterson]

Here's the picture :D

Click to view full size image

am I wrong, is this anticrepuscular rays ?

Well, "ray" doesn't quite do it here. Perhaps "anticrepuscular shadow" would be better. But the cause is the same- clouds on or just below the sunset horizon.

[ObsidianKaiser]

thanks chris for fast reply,

another one, 10 min later...

[attachment=0]obsiKai2.jpg[/attachment]
http://iceburner.olympe-network.com/wor ... 184123.jpg

when the universe give me that kind of picture, a firework in my head...