Vernal Equinox 2015

Just took this picture of the sun setting due west, about 15 minutes after the Vernal Equinox (7:08pm Central time). Roads here in the Midwest run very close to E-W for the most part. This part of north-west Illinois is composed of low rolling hills that the glaciers did not mow down. In the flatter parts of southern Illinois, the roads run for miles in a very straight line.

The settlers who first laid out these roads most probably used a magnetic compass to determine north. Fortunately here the magnetic north and true north are almost exactly the same.

Rolando

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This next photo shows the sun almost on the horizon, but because of atmospheric refraction, it is already set and just below the horizon. It is therefore slightly north of true west because of the angle of the setting sun at our 42 degree latitude.

Rolando

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Cool photo! I always found it somewhat confusing converting grid to magnetic in the Army for land navigation. I thought you were in Chile??

Roland Christen said:

Just took this picture of the sun setting due west, about 15 minutes after the Vernal Equinox (7:08pm Central time). Roads here in the Midwest run very close to E-W for the most part. This part of north-west Illinois is composed of low rolling hills that the glaciers did not mow down. In the flatter parts of southern Illinois, the roads run for miles in a very straight line.

The settlers who first laid out these roads most probably used a magnetic compass to determine north. Fortunately here the magnetic north and true north are almost exactly the same.

Rolando

Roland,
Of all the phenomenal photo's you have posted over the years, this is one of my favorites. Just something about it.
Thanks for sharing.