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Saturday, 26 October 2019

Seven Skies

The weather we've been experiencing lately, with band after band of rainclouds sweeping from west to east, separated (sometimes) by narrow clear interludes, has produced occasionally interesting skies, especially around dawn. Here are seven such...



Before dawn, with lemony shades along the eastern horizon. The view may be ethereal but the location is more prosaic - the village recreation ground, just a short stroll from my back door.



Sometimes we're blessed with some candyfloss pink at dawn.



One can see how people could imagine that there might be gods dwelling up there among these heroic-looking cloud formations. A little later in the day it takes on more usual colouring....



I love to see these broken clouds over the fields and in such a flat landscape as Cambridgeshire you can often see a huge area of sky. 


Sometimes grey overcast conditions break up into these patterned clouds that are generally known as "mackerel" skies. And sometimes you come upon something that is unique and inexplicable....


The temptation is to say that it's been somehow caused by jet contrails, there is certainly plenty of air traffic over East Anglia, but it doesn't usually leave great gashes through the cloud layer. It might be a very long and narrow "fall-streak hole", perhaps caused by pollution from a jet exhaust.  It could also be some sort of wave cloud but I really don't know. Though I do understand roughly what's going on in the photo below....



"We have not the reverent feeling for the rainbow that the savage has, because we know how it is made. We have lost as much as we gained by prying into that matter".

Mark Twain - A Tramp Abroad


Take care

17 comments:

  1. That rainbow is a welcome sight to see.

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  2. I envy you your 'big skies'. Can't see them for houses and hills here.

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  3. The sky is so interesting because we can only see it at a distance. We need the oxygen to live and yet nothing actually lives off the earth in the sky. For me, looking at the sky gives me a break from day to day stuff. It is totally different from anything else.
    Clouds are wonderful in their infinite changing shapes and forms, and they affect our emotions.
    Three cheers for big skies!

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  4. A very interesting series of sky images, John. I bet you there are a lot of people today who could not tell you how a rainbow is formed - savage or not!

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  5. The skies can be fascinating for many reasons. You captured some fabulous formations here.

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  6. Wonderful skies and a lovely "English" street. Thank you for commenting on my blog and enabling me to "re-follow" you.

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  7. Skies and cloud formations never bore. You show an interesting series here John.

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  8. Beautiful skies and cloud formations, I'm not sure I could chose a favourite:)

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  9. Oh, what wonderful captures...though I dont think I will ever not feel magic with a rainbow.

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  10. Lovely photos. Non of us look up to the skies as much as we should.
    Briony
    x

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  11. Gorgeous skies John, some almost biblical ✨ Marvelous Mark Twain quote 💛

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  12. Wonderful shots of skies, and I'm waiting for a scientific explanation for the "parting of the clouds." Until then, I'm sure Moses had something to do with it (hope that doesn't offend anyone.)

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  13. Very interesting skies and quote.

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  14. Love the skies, no matter where you are! These are awesome shots.

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  15. Love seeing the skies there. So beautiful.

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