Solstice Sunsets
Taken by Peter Lowenstein on June 20, 2016 @
Mutare, Zimbabwe
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Camera Used: Panasonic DMC-TZ60
Exposure Time: 10/1250
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO: 160
Date Taken: 2016:06:30 00:46:30
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Details:
Being fortunate to live at a location which has a clear view over a beautiful ever changing earth-sky diorama, in which the participants are our Sun and Moon, neighboring planets, distant stars and all kinds of weather, has provided an opportunity to take many spectacular photographs. The recent serene winter solstice has now provided pictures which allow an interesting comparison to be made between the position of the sun and the prevailing conditions on both last December's summer solstice and the recent June winter solstice. The accompanying mosaic shows the summer solstice sun setting in distance behind Hospital Hill and the Suburb of Chikanga at 18.23 on a hot and humid day with a red sky on 21-12-2015 (left) and the winter solstice sun setting behind a break in the slope of the Christmas Pass range of hills at 16.52 on a cool dry day with a clear blue sky on 20-06-2016 (right). Taking close-up photographs of the summer sun descending below the distant horizon is quite easy because it is often dimmed by atmospheric haze. The winter setting sun is however almost always too bright to photograph close-up because the horizon is higher and much nearer. This is where cloud can come to the rescue. The close-up comparisons taken within a day or two of the solstices were taken when there was cloud about. The summer picture shows the sun setting behind a distinctive landmark boulder on top of the Hospital Hill granite Kopje as it does every December. The winter picture shows the sun, partially obscured by cloud, setting at the foot of a prominent weather-beaten indigenous Musasa Tree (I call it The Solstice Tree) as it does every June. The animation allows a lovely comparison to be made. The photographs were taken using a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ60 camera in various modes and at different magnifications.
Photographer's website:
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