This fall, trees are not the only things displaying Halloween colors. Tonight's volcanic aerosols could be seen 30 degrees above western horizon just after sunset. The Ghost of Kasatochi still haunts the skies above eastern Kansas. Canon Rebel XTi with a 16mm Nikkor lens @ f/22; 1 second exposure with fill flash at ISO 100.

I was on my way home from a beautiful night at the Welzheim observatory, when I recognized even more beautiful colors at the eastern horizon. I have seen hundreds of sunrises in my life before at many places on earth. But the colors I saw this morning were unlike any others. What a spectacular show that was! The image has 104 degree angle horizontal and 81 degree vertical, if that helps. An ultra wide angle lens was used. More: Date + Time: Aug 31, 2008, 4:17 UT Location: Welzheim, near Stuttgart, Germany Lens: Canon EF 14mm/2.8 L wideangle lens Camera: Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III DSLR @ ISO 100 Exposure Time: 1/125 second Processing Details: Not much at all. The image respresent my visual impression pretty good. No image can preserve my impression at this scenery, can make the same goose skin I had. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Thanks for looking. Cordially, Stefan

A beautiful sunrise this morning. Taken with my Powershot IS100IS.

During the past several days, the sunsets have become more dramatic. Probably due to a change in the weather (cooler, less hazy days) and the volcanic eruptions described in today's SW. Each evening has provided me with a different experience. Two cropped and reduced examples enclosed. Image0073 is of rays taken on 8/20/2008; Image0112 is a sun pillar (near left) with mammatus cloud-like features near the pillar at 4 o'clock-just above the trees taken 8/26/2008. Both images Nikon D SLR, 20-200mm lens, ISO 400 Details for#73: 20mm; 1/40sec; F7.1. Details for#112: 55mm; 1/100sec; f5.

An unusual colourful sunset last weekend, caused by volcanic dust of the Kasatochi in the atmosphere. Very fine yellow-purple rays were visible high up in the sky. Difficult to catch by camera, but a beautiful view. Nikon D300 with 12-24 mm lens.

In reviewing my images from my recent flight from London to Los Angeles, I realized that the high-altitude smog that puzzled me on the flight must be vog from the eruption of Kasatochi. The series of impressive sunsets here in southern California this week reminded me about this image of the vog.