The #SacataFire is now 97% contained and has burned 2,100 acres. pic.twitter.com/Ia3A0Bxm3B
— Sierra Ntl. Forest (@Sierra_NF) October 17, 2016
It took me a few seconds to figure out what I was seeing in this very interesting photo taken by Marta Kroger at the Sacata Fire. It appears to be the shadow of a fire lookout tower projected onto smoke, presumably from the fire, and probably very late in the day or just after sunrise. But I’m at a loss to explain the rainbow effect around the shadow. It’s almost like the tower acted as a prism.
The fire is on the Sierra National Forest 26 air miles northeast of Fresno, California. More information about the fire is here.
Fence Meadow Lookout. Sits above Haslett Basin.
I don’t think that’s smoke. Looks like marine layer- and the water is what forms the rainbow…
Hey Bill, it is called a “glory” usually seen from an airplane onto clouds below.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glory_(optical_phenomenon)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brocken_spectre