My wife and I made another trip to Matagorda Beach, just a few days before Christmas 2018. Among the many beautiful sights were a gorgeous sunset and moonrise the day after the 2018 Winter Solstice.
This left-hand
sun dog appeared in the clouds in the early afternoon and stayed until nearly sunset.
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| Left-hand sun dog near sunset. |
When there is a clear view of the Sun setting at the horizon, atmospheric distortion can create a phenomenon called a "
green flash." The effect may last for a second or two. I managed to capture one in several images. The best one is below (note the green along the top edge of the Sun).
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Green flash at sunset. The pier is located at Jetty Park.
Note the couple walking along the beach in the foreground. |
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| Sunset |
Then the Moon rose! Clouds blocked the view at the horizon, but the view was spectacular once it got high enough.
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| "Cold Moon" full moonrise |
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| Cars exiting the beach at moonrise. |
And finally, paraphrasing George Bailey from
It's a Wonderful Life:
You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a big lasso around it and pull it down. Hey, that's a pretty good idea! I'll give you the moon, Kristi!
