This is one of my favorite examples of the earth's shadow taken at a very dramatic location, Grand Teton National Park.
There’s an interesting phenomenon that most of us have seen, but probably didn’t realize what we were looking at. It happens right before sunrise (for the early birds) and right after sunset (for normal people). A band of pink, transitioning quickly into blue, appears above the opposite horizon. It can be very intense, but usually is fairly subtle. This transition from pink to blue is actually the edge of the earth’s shadow be projected through the atmosphere. The blue is in shadow while the pink is in sunlight.
The earth’s shadow is best seen when the skies are clear. Typically, photographers find clear sky sunrises and sunsets to be rather dull. Clouds make the sky much more interesting. In the arid west, clear skies are more the norm than the exception. So this earth’s shadow is one way to add a little drama to an otherwise uninspiring clear-sky sunrise/set.
Keep an eye out for the earth’s shadow the next time you watch a sunset—and impress your friends with a little natural trivia.
Next time I’ll show you an smaller, albeit unusual, shadow of the earth.
Enjoy
Frank