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Help: Giant Shadows

22 Feb 00 - 07:40 PM (#183031)
Subject: Giant Shadows
From: Osmium

Leftover from another thread but bugging my mind. There's a place in Ireland which is high walk in the mountains where, when the sun sets or rises you can find your shadow cast upon the clouds (or low lying mists); anyone know the (Gaelic?) name for the phenomenon or the place or any songs about the issue.

22 Feb 00 - 09:21 PM (#183076)
Subject: RE: Help: Giant Shadows
From: wysiwyg

Beautiful image. Have you ever seen a massive tower of glowing light shine straight up into a blue sky, from a setting sun?

22 Feb 00 - 09:28 PM (#183081)
Subject: RE: Help: Giant Shadows
From: MMario

Are you talking about the phenomenan (however you spell it) when you see your shadow on mists/clouds and your head is surrounded by a "ring of glory". Additionally, you can see it, but a person standing next to you cannot?

22 Feb 00 - 09:37 PM (#183085)
Subject: RE: Help: Giant Shadows
From: catspaw49

Oh there's some real material here..........

Spaw

22 Feb 00 - 09:39 PM (#183088)
Subject: RE: Help: Giant Shadows
From: Sorcha

Now, 'spaw, we're glad you're feeling better, but don't overdo it!

23 Feb 00 - 10:14 AM (#183329)
Subject: RE: Help: Giant Shadows
From: MMario

'spaw, all I can say is "phffffllllttttt!"

at this site:http://aibn47.astro.uni-bonn.de/~gallery/atmosphere/fogbow.html

found this item...

If you have a strong light source (in this case the sun) in your back, and you are looking into clouds or fog then you can see your shadow surrounded by a glory. This phenomenon is also called the "Specter of the Brocken".
Everybody can see the shadow of himself and people nearby - but only one glory around his own head - the antisolar point. The glory is formed due to the favored back-scattering of light by the small waterdrops.
The radius of the glory is dependent on the size of the drops - the smaller the drops, the bigger the glory. If the mist has a distance of more than about 50 m you also can see the more extended fogbow. It is similar to a rainbow, but without any colour.

24 Feb 00 - 12:30 AM (#183874)
Subject: RE: Help: Giant Shadows
From: Metchosin

Gee MMario, thats really very interesting to know.

I have a relative that went for years, afraid to tell anyone he had seen fairies. Turned out, when he finally told what he had seen, there was a scientific explanation.

He had been home alone on in the middle of a sunny afternoon when a ball of light entered the room hovering just above the floor and headed straight for him. He stepped out of the way and it entered a plug outlet and disappeared. It really shook him, until he found that the explanation was ball lightening.

Maybe if he hadn't stepped out of the way he would have been on of those cases of spontaneous combustion.

24 Feb 00 - 03:54 PM (#184205)
Subject: RE: Help: Giant Shadows
From: Osmium

Sorry, asked the question and then had to travel for a couple of days. The science is great and doesn't in any way detract from the spectacle but the clouds I am talking about can be very high and the shadows are "HUGE" and of course its in Ireland. I think I know someone who will know, not a mudcatter, and if he does I'll post he answer in a future thread.

Meanwhile

When the mists above my mountain rose

Two streams two lakes would stand unclothed

Pine forests standing tall and proud

A single headland clear of cloud

When I get to the bottom of line breaks it might read like a verse. Thanks all.

24 Feb 00 - 04:50 PM (#184240)
Subject: RE: Help: Giant Shadows
From: Molly Malone

This is the site mentioned above. Cool! But you're right, there's got to be songs about this sort of thing...where would we find weather songs...sea shanty perhaps? No, these are pictures from Spain and Chile...hmmmmm

24 Feb 00 - 06:45 PM (#184295)
Subject: RE: Help: Giant Shadows
From: Osmium

Molly Mallone - brilliant!