Southern Glow

Now that we're firmly past the mid-winter hump, eyes and hearts are slowly turning to the near future and a return to warmth and color. Monday afternoon I went seeking out some other color, via a good sunset from the Northampton meadows...

I was just a few minutes late, and parked under the big sky just after the sun had gone behind the trees and the last rays had already skimmed over the tops of the Mt. Tom and Mt. Holyoke ranges.



Thinking I was too late, I waited for a bit and scanned the clouds for any hint of glory. Minutes passed, and the sky began to fade. But just when I was ready to head off, thinking it was missed, the scattered clouds suddenly began to glow and then burst with vibrant red/orange...



It lasted for several minutes before fading out and leaving black clouds behind, like burnt out embers...



In the gap between the Mt. Tom and Mt. Holyoke ranges a little bit of a glow could still be seen, remaining well after the rest of the sky had completely darkened.



It was probably reflected light from the cities of Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke to the south...a man-made sunset...