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Sarychev Peak 2009
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  Summary: In mid-June 2009, Russia's Sarychev Peak volcano erupted, hurling an enormous plume of ash and sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. This has produced some unusually colorful sunrises and sunsets around the northern hemisphere. Purple is one of the telltale colors of a volcanic sunset. Fine volcanic aerosols in the stratosphere scatter blue light which, when mixed with ordinary sunset red, produces a violet hue. Other signs to look for include a bright yellow "twilight arch" and long crepuscular rays and shadows.
 
  Photographer, Location Images Comments


Brian Whittaker,
Airborne at 35,000 from Vancouver, BC, Canada to east Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada.
Jun. 22, 2009
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I was amazed by the most spectacular sunset that I have ever witnessed! While over the Canadian Arctic at 36,000 feet in the midnight sun, the giant volcanic cloud from eastern Russia’s Sarychev Peak caused an amazing phenomena. While transforming the entire foreground below to a strong copper colored Martian landscape, it completely obscured the bright solar rays leaving a deep red disc above. Further away in the distance, between a break in the shadowed volcanic cloud, the thin blue daytime appearance of this cloud can be seen. On this day, this cloud stretched over 4000 kilometers (Yes! Over four thousand km) but it was the sunset affect which became breathtaking! I am sorry for the delay in publishing because I originally thought it was BC’s forest fires before I spotted the SpaceWeather.com story.


Jan Curtis,
Gresham, OR - just east of Portland
Jun. 27, 2009
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On 27 June from Gresham, Oregon, about 25 minutes after sunset, ash filled northwest skies peaked in color and detail. Saw several sets of wave-like clouds. All day, bight blue skies prevailed, so it was a surprise to see this sunset. Not as pronounced on the 26th.


Jenaya Swenson,
Svensen, Oregon
Jun. 28, 2009
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For the past two weeks, I've kept my eyes to the skies on the search for NLCs. I haven't seen any NLCs yet, but I have witnessed some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises I have ever seen. I had wondered if these are so-called 'volcanic sunsets' due to the recent eruption of Sarychev Peak? Last night(June 28th)the western sky just exploded with color. The same happened this morning in the eastern sky...absolutely breathtaking, Nature at her best! The first image is from the 28th, the second is from this morning.

Photo details: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSI, P-mode.


Bill Rohde,
a few miles north of Bend, Oregon
Jun. 26, 2009
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After a very clear day, these clouds appeared for a while well after sunset just west of Bend Oregon June 26th. They had a very nice wave pattern to them. I didn't know what they were except they seemed odd. On Spaceweather today I realized I had seen the volcanic clouds from the Russian volcano.


Paul Hadfield,
Latham, Illinois
Jun. 28, 2009
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Much to my surprise, we were greeted with an amazing ashfall sunset across Central IL c/o Sarychev on Sunday. I believe that our current NW flow as well as a cutoff low over Lake Superior is aiding in drawing debris from the higher latitudes down into our region.

Photo details: Canon Rebel XTi, ISO 100, F13, A/V mode.


Rick Schrantz,
Nicholasville, Kentucky
Jun. 29, 2009
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I was trying to image Venus and the IR satellite showed no clouds. But, this eerie sunrise with orange and purple ensued. It sure looks volcanic to me.

more images (Oct. 24): S Mexico;