I have been shooting some time-lapse imagery of my view of Mount Meeker and Long's Peak, two of the highest points in Rocky Mountain National Park. These time-lapse sequences, which may take several hours to shoot, are then combined into video clips that play back at a much faster rate, typically around 90 times faster.

Sunset - 17 July 2012

The first sequence begins at around 7:05 PM, an hour and a half before sunset, as rays of light shoot through holes in the extensive cloud cover.

As the sun drops towards the horizon, the light becomes warmer and warmer, until at about 00:30 [thirty seconds into the video clip] to 00:35 it descends low enough to paint the undersides of the clouds with brilliant oranges and reds.

The 44-second sequence ends at about 8:55 PM after the sun has dropped below the horizon.

Sunrise - 28 July 2012

The next sequence starts before dawn at around 3:30 AM, with the stars wheeling around to disappear behind the hills to the west, which become visible at about 00:07 [seven seconds into the clip]. Clouds stream from the south [left to right], and we lose sight of the brightest stars at about 00:18 [around 5:20 AM].

A mackerel sky [altocumulus clouds with unstable moist air at altitudes of 10,000 to 20,000 feet] builds over the area, and at about 00:30 it briefly flashes red as the undersides are struck by the rays of the rising sun behind us.

The 1:13 long clip ends at about 7:40 AM with clearing skies.

You can find more time-lapse sequences from the same point-of-view on my Mt. Meeker & Long's Peak video clips page.