Alpinglow

A place to explore the natural setting (geology, flora & fauna), people, constructed infrastructure and historical events that play and have played a part in shaping the Sierra Nevada as we know it today.
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oldranger
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Alpinglow

Post by oldranger »

I have noticed many people displaying wonderful sunset photos and referring to them as alpenglow. That has never been my understanding of what real alpinglow is so I googled it and this is what wikipedia came up with:
Alpenglow (from German: Alpenglühen) is an optical phenomenon in which a horizontal red glowing band is observed on the horizon opposite to the sun. This effect occurs when the Sun is just below the horizon. Alpenglow is easiest to observe when mountains are illuminated but can also be observed when the sky is illuminated through backscattering.

Since the Sun is below the horizon, there is no direct path for the light to reach the mountain. Unlike sunset or sunrise, the light that causes alpenglow is reflected off airborne snow, water, or ice particles low in the atmosphere. These conditions differentiate between a normal sunrise or sunset and alpenglow.

Although the term may be loosely applied to any sunrise or sunset light seen on the mountains, true alpenglow is not direct sunlight and is only observed after sunset or before sunrise.

In the absence of mountains, the aerosols in the eastern portion of the sky can be illuminated in the same way at sunset by the remaining red scattered light straddling the border of the Earth's own shadow (the terminator). This back-scattered light produces a red band opposite the Sun.
Anyhow alpenglow is really a special event and I always keep an eye out for it after a great sunset.
Mike

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freestone
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Re: Alpinglow

Post by freestone »

Interesting to see this definition. Here in Santa Barbara, the Mountain range behind us is south facing. Only in the winter, when the sun is far to the south, we get an "Alpenglühen". Below is an image of La Cumbre peak taken at 17:12 hours and the sunset was at 16:52 so i suppose this qualifies? I have noticed the intensity is now becoming somewhat diminished because we are now past the winter solstice.

Image
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Eiprahs
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Re: Alpinglow

Post by Eiprahs »

Oldranger, I guess I've always been confused on this. Everyone I knew referred to the last light on mountains as alpenglow. So here's three photos, taken with a film camera 9/23/2002, that seem to illustrate the atmospheric phenomenon of your definition.

Guitar Lake about 1/2 hour before sunrise--30 second exposure--lighting by moonlight and backscattering from highest levels of atmosphere:
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Maybe 15 minutes later. The demarcation between atmosphere in full sunlight and that still shadowed by the earth visible on horizon. Exposure probably about 10 seconds.
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Another 10 minutes on. Demarcation (shadow line) near horizon. Exposure about 3 seconds.
Image

Since I was shooting film, I can't verify exposure parameters like you can with digital (EXIF data).
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Hobbes
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Re: Alpinglow

Post by Hobbes »

I guess this isn't true alpinglow, but it's still pretty cool.

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SirBC
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Re: Alpinglow

Post by SirBC »

If there is one photographer that I think of when I think of alpenglow it is Galen Rowell. His book "Mountain Light" is not to be missed. Not only was he one of the best landscape photographers ever but he was also a fantastic writer and could move you just as well with his words as with his images. His many descriptions of alpenglow describe it as the first or last light of the day hitting the mountains. I guess if that description is good enough for Galen it's good enough for me :)

My take on some alpenglow last July:

ImageFirst Light by David Young, on Flickr
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oldranger
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Re: Alpinglow

Post by oldranger »

Nice sunrise. I supposed if he called snow rain you'd agree since it is just another form of water.
Mike

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SirBC
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Re: Alpinglow

Post by SirBC »

No, not really. Galen wasn't prone to idiocy.
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The Other Tom
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Re: Alpinglow

Post by The Other Tom »

SirBC:
That is one outstanding photograph. Thanks for posting.
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