How do you know when there will be a good sunset?

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joescrivens

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Today there was a superb sunset and I was nowhere near a good place to take advantage of it.

Are there signs during the day that a sunset is going to be better than others that landscape photographers look for? Or is it just pure pot luck?
 
Look for a shepherd with a delightful smile on his face ;)
 
what a good question! :)

I'm not 100% sure, but I think high broken cloud an hour or so before sunset makes things more promising? :shrug:
 
Managed to catch an ok shot of it myself, but I was in the same predicament of not being near anywhere decent to take advantage of it.
 
A really handy tool for a photographer using a desktop computer or an iphone is TPE

It uses maps from google maps and shows you the exact angle that the sun will rise and set for any given day at any location. Couple this with your own interpretation of the weather i.e. its too cloudy to see any sunset/rise or it is excellent weather to see a good sunrise/set and you are on to a winner :D
 
The red colour is caused by the sun shining through dust, soot etc. in the atmosphere usually ahead of a high pressure system. If the weather is rainy and the atmosphere has been 'washed' you won't get a decent sunset.
 
We had a lovely sunset last night, low cloud and the sky looked on fire, unfortunately I was zooming through the streets to try and be on time for football.

I have no idea when it will be a good sunset.

Nick.
 
It's always a good sunset in Morecambe ;)

P1000271-2.jpg


But seriously, I was going to post a similar question just about weather and landscape photography generally. Are there any particular things in forecasts to look out for etc? I was thinking about sunrise too, as getting up really early and driving somewhere to find a boring sunrise would be worse!
 
I find that it is always going to be a good sunset the day I don't happen to have my camera with me and a very poor one on the evening that I stay up until 9.30pm in the middle of nowhere waiting for one ;);)
 
grum said:
It's always a good sunset in Morecambe ;)

P1000271-2.jpg


But seriously, I was going to post a similar question just about weather and landscape photography generally. Are there any particular things in forecasts to look out for etc? I was thinking about sunrise too, as getting up really early and driving somewhere to find a boring sunrise would be worse!
Click to expand...

Grum dear boy.....

I've been toying with an idea that might be up your street. Sunrise on the longest day - June 21st. There has long been a tradition of going up Helvellyn the night before and waiting for the sun. Last time I did it was in 1975 when sunrise was at 4.43AM. I was thinking of having another go this year. 21 June is a Monday, so walk up the hill on Sunday evening about 8 - 9 PM, bed down as best possible and watch the sun come up.

Of course it will be cold overnight so proper sleeping bags will be needed and it might be cloudy.......


Interested?
 
Clear horizon + high cloud overhead + a bit of haze (but not so much as to blot out the sun too fast). Can usually have a reasonable shout as to if it's going to be a nice one an hour or two beforehand.
 
If there is a high pressure to the west (i.e. in the direction that the sun is setting) there will likely be more reds / pinks etc in the sunset ... If it is to the east the sunrises will be better.

It is the reason why fisherman use the term "Red sky in morn sailors taken warn", meaning that if the high pressure is to the east then there will likely be a bought of low pressure (read, wind and waves) heading east towards the boat ... and "Red sky at night sailors delight" means the high pressure is to the west and heading towards the boat therefore bringing stillness and calm.

It also has a lot to do with trade winds and the correolis effect but generally if the sun is coming up or dropping through a highpressure system the colours will be that much sweeter !!!
 
Speaking as an amateur meteorologist myself and as a lover of "fiery" sunrises and sunsets, I have come to the conclusion that it's actually impossible to predict when a good sunrise or sunset will occur! Oh I can easily forecast the weather conditions at time of sunrise and sunset but the colours itself doesn't show up when I expect it to, and they DO show up when I least expect it!
There are some EXCELLENT and very sound reasons in this thread on why and how "red" sunsets/sunrises does form, I won't argue with any of those. But so far this year, a chronic lack of any proper "fiery" type sunset/sunrises has forced me to accept that it's impossible to predict it happening.
All we can do is just be in the right place at the right time when it does happen.
 
The best method I've found is to walk out of my front door, turn right by the courthouse and look straight out to sea! :D

Takes about 30 seconds. ;)

Joking aside, I've never found an accurate way to predict a sunset so it's usually just a case of hoping for the best.
Si
 
I'll tell you what would be worth looking out for at about this time of the year . . . noctilucent lights . . . or NLCs for short.
They usually occur an hour after sunset and just before twilight and can only be viewed under completely clear skies but can be seen anywhere, even in urban areas.
Just like colourful sunsets or sunrise, they, too, are hard to predict when and if they do show up. But it is absolutely stunning once you do get to see them, like this fine display I captured last year outside my home (and yes, this was taken in a built up area).

NLC5.jpg


If you are still not sure what NLCs are, here's a handy cut-out-and-keep guide: http://www.atoptics.co.uk/highsky/nlc1.htm
 
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