Sunset on altostratus (w-468-12)

In gallery: Photos of the month (2002)
Related photos: Atmospheric optics Sunrise and sunset Mid-level cloud coloring

A blazing sunset set the altostratus over New Mexico on fire. The colors wowed the crowd gathered at the Bosque del Apache, NM, for the annual Crane Festival. Altostratus is not so featureless as it looks during the daytime.

Photo taken Nov. 23, 2002, at the Bosque del Apache bird refugee, New Mexico, USA. Nikon FE, 28 mm Nikkor @ f/8, 1/15 sec.