Evenings at elevation

Some photos from a couple of evenings at 12,000 feet.

The video above is a time lapse sequence with frames captured every 30 seconds between about 5:30 and 7:30 PM.

The sun sets over Mt. Cirrus in the Gore Range, about 50 miles away.

The sun sets over Mt. Cirrus in the Gore Range, about 50 miles away.

The setting sun reflects light off the underside of the clouds.  Gore range in the distance.

The setting sun reflects light off the underside of the clouds.  Gore range in the distance.

Thunderstorms move out over the plains towards Loveland, Colorado.

Thunderstorms move out over the plains towards Loveland, Colorado.

Distant clouds are lit by a lightning bolt.

Distant clouds are lit by a lightning bolt.

Mushroom rocks, formed when erosion occurs more rapidly on a softer layer of rock that lies underneath a harder top layer.

Mushroom rocks, formed when erosion occurs more rapidly on a softer layer of rock that lies underneath a harder top layer.

Not too much light pollution, so the Milky Way is clearly visible after dark.

Not too much light pollution, so the Milky Way is clearly visible after dark.

A few additional photos from 27 September:

The moon sets behind the clouds at right, and the stars come out.

The moon sets behind the clouds at right, and the stars come out.

The Milky Way behind mushroom rocks.

The Milky Way behind mushroom rocks.

Shooting star

22 Jan 2012, 5:07 AM MST: A shooting star over Lyons, CO, appears in a single frame of a time-lapse photo sequence.

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A close-up is shown below.

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There are at least half a dozen shooting stars in the clip below, a time-lapse sequence shot between 3:15 and 7:30 AM.  The one above, the brightest, occurs 44 seconds into the clip.  Smaller ones occur at 00:19 near the center of the frame and at 00:23 in the lower middle part of the frame [these may be hard to see at the resolution displayed here].  In addition, various aircraft and satellites can be observed especially between 00:58 and about 01:12.