Starship Asterisk*

A Retreating Thunderstorm at Sunset

Explanation: What type of cloud is that? This retreating cumulonimbus cloud, more commonly called a thundercloud, is somewhat unusual as it contains the unusual bumpiness of a mammatus cloud on the near end, while simultaneously producing falling rain on the far end. Taken in mid-June in southern Alberta, Canada, the cloud is moving to the east, into the distance, as the sun sets in the west, behind the camera. In the above image, graphic sunset colors cross the sky to give the already photogenic cloud striking orange and pink hues. A darkening blue sky covers the background. Further in the distance, a rising, waxing, gibbous moon is visible on the far right.

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Wonderful shot: compliments!

Oh my goodness.

Does make one gasp.

And is best appreciated from the ground, as is a one to stay 10 away from unless turbulence is your thing.

Perhaps a bit heavy on the hdr?

What does he moon have to do with aSTARonomy?

Great shot by the way. Thanks.

I will probably never understand the fluid dynamics going on up there. To make matters even more difficult, there is some kind of relationship between gamma rays in the ionosphere and the triggering of lightning bolts, after which them pesky red sprites and elves, and blue jets show up.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Upperatmoslight1.jpg

......and check out the hail accumulation it left behind!!

RedFishBlueFish wrote:Oh my goodness.

Does make one gasp.

And is best appreciated from the ground, as is a one to stay 10 away from unless turbulence is your thing.

Perhaps a bit heavy on the hdr?

Definitely the colors and contrast looks artificially exaggerated, in a way it misses something important.

It makes me suspicious about it and I cannot appreciate it fully.

No doubt it's an amazing scene, though.

lucnico wrote:Definitely the colors and contrast looks artificially exaggerated, in a way it misses something important.

It makes me suspicious about it and I cannot appreciate it fully.

No doubt it's an amazing scene, though.

Yes, after photographing the scene with an artificial camera, digitally stored data has been artificially interpreted and displayed on your artificial monitor.

...No doubt what you are seeing are actually halos leftover from sharpening filters. It's really common in imagery these days but if one is not very careful with it then certain parts are nicely enhanced while other parts suffer. This is evident in from the darkened halo around the left side of the cloud near the edge of the photo. It's no reason to be suspicious of the photograph, though. It's not like there's anything dishonest about it.

no question about the honesty of the photograph!! What I mean is that with colours so sharply defined, it doesn't take me there, I cannot picture myself looking at it... and I love clouds

My suspicious came about the contrast of the colors between blue sky and clouds at the sunset. Perhaps something about the foreground.

Or maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's the huge dimensions involved. It is such an exquisite view, it should feel odd looking at it.

Nice work Alan!

Image processing aside, an amazing display of Mother Natures' endless creativity.

Awesome...
As interesting as anything in space...

:---[===] *

Interesting that clicking on the image brings up the same photo, but with much more subtle coloring...

Once again APOD has made my computer desktop a topic of discussion at work!

Thanks!!

josimac wrote:Interesting that clicking on the image brings up the same photo, but with much more subtle coloring...

Yes, it's an ongoing problem. The pre-21st century imaging software used by the editors doesn't handle managed color. The main page image is being interpreted as sRGB, while the original image is ProPhoto RGB. For web images like these, either is about equally good. But unmanaged color images are almost always interpreted as sRGB, which makes them look wrong if they weren't saved that way.

Until APOD starts maintaining color profiles in edited images, you should always click through to the original image to see the intended colors. And I think the submission guidelines should caution authors to submit images with sRGB profiles only.