I agree with Chuck. In fact I have seen a similar phenomenon. Sometimes, shadows of clouds that are too far east for us to notice will cause such "rays" to appear on the western horizon (I've only seen that once, it was in the fall of '97). I read a blurb about this in Astronomy magazine several years ago (before they went royally down the tubes. I now only take S&T), they called them anti-solar rays. I still have the issue, I'll have to search through my many old magazines to find it. I think that the issue in question came out shortly before I saw the phenomenon, so that's where I'll look. Greg --- Chuck Hards <chuckhards@yahoo.com> wrote:
The time and orientation (opposite the sun) makes me think that what was seen was illuminated areas between the shadows of mountain peaks. They would look illuminated in contrast to the shadow areas next to them. Not sure what is meant by "appeared to part the clouds above our heads moving east." Perspective can be tricky.
Aurorae would certainly not be visible after sunrise, or for most of twilight.
Drawing a sightline on a map would tell what industry, if any, lies in the right direction, and may provide clues if it were man-made. Might have actually been searchlights (spotlighters out looking for coyotes?).
If it is the shadow effect, it might be observable again from the same location if looked-for before the sun gets much further north.
C.
--- Joe Bauman <bau@desnews.com> wrote:
Dear Friends, I received the following notes from Garth Evans. I was unable to give him any notion about what it was except to say possibly the northern lights. He says I may post them here, in hopes that someone will have an idea about this. -- thanks, Joe Bauman
First note:
my name is Garth Evans, I am good friends with Jim Rayburn. He told me that you may be able to explain something that my co-workers and I had seen tuesday morning (11th) at about 7:30 AM.
From the mouth of Spanish Fork canyon we observed 5 blue beams coming up from the lake or the mountains behind them,they were visible for about 15 minutes.They lightened as the sun come over the mountain but they apperared to part the clouds above our heads moving east. If youcould explain plese do so,we all watched all the news channels that night but they told nothing of it.we were thinking it was the aurora borealis but we are clueless. Please respond, thanks, Garth Evans
Second note:
Joe, The beams were so straight that they looked perfect.it was almost as if there was 5 giant blue lens lights (like fox movies opening spotlights) the other weird part about this is that it seemed to part the clouds. Anyway I`m not a fruitcake,some of my co-workers at Trojan explosives plant seen it also. as for the direction it was more west than it was north. I don`t know much more that I can tell you except that I am 46 years old and I have never seen anything like this before. sincerly, Garth Evans
Joe Bauman science & military reporter Deseret News bau@desnews.com (801) 237-2169
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