The last couple posts were off our last evening in Badlands National Park. After two days of clear skies, a storm moved in and created dramatic skies. Two evenings before, we got to the park in time to get our tent up, quickly cook dinner, and head out for the last light. We were happy for the clear skies since we hoped to do some astro photography after dark. After the sun set, the horizon had some nice, soft color to contrast with the jagged Badlands sandstone.
Dan, evening 1
The next evening, we scouted a place in hopes for good sunset light. Not much color in the sky, but the features caught a bit of the last light. The clear sky promised more starlight to follow.
Sunset, evening 2
We were able to get more Milky Way images that night, and hoped the forecast of clouds the next day would be accurate. As you saw in a post below, a storm blew in with dramatic skies. Then the question was: would the clouds make for a gray sunset or would color break through. After spending some time with the owl, we headed for a promising viewpoint to the west. A cold wind had us holding down our tripods. As the sun got below the storm clouds, the promise began to be fulfilled!
As it edged below the horizon, the sun’s filtered light began glowing the bottom of the clouds.
The palette began opening up.
To the southwest, it was still raining and drops glowed.
The northwest clouds caught a bit of red.
The red highlights concentrated.
And the Earth’s shadow descended down following the sun.
