Green Flash

I can't believe it!
Not only I saw the green flash, I also captured it!
SoCal got an early rain yesterday, and due to this - highly unusual - circumstance the air got reeeeealy clear and we got nice puffy clouds instead of a clear sky on top and a haze over the horizon. For the first time in my life I could see an ocean edge right from our place (which is about 70 miles afar.
But that's not the best part.
Given the fact I got my 40D yesterday, I was keen to take it for a spin. So I went out around the sunset hoping to get some purple. And lo and behold, not only I got that, but I managed to see - and even to capture - the famous green flash! I never hoped to see it in my life, yet here I was, snapping frame after frame with my brand new 40D, observing this rather rare phenomenon.

And best of it, I got a picture to prove me right:



That tall structure on the foreground is a federal building in Oxnard, about 30 miles away.

Taken handheld, with Canon 40D and EF 70-200/2.8 IS USM

Wow Nik!

I've had the opportunity to see the green flash but to capture it with your NEW cameras is totally incredible. I hope those cameras make your bank account green too!

Hi Nik,

You might want to return that 40D since it seems to have an acute dead pixel problem. A group of them are fixed to green and should be mapped out by Canon.

LOL, just having some innocent fun here <smile>

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Kathy Rappaport said:

I've had the opportunity to see the green flash but to capture it with your NEW cameras is totally incredible. I hope those cameras make your bank account green too!

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Kathy, thanks!

Cem Usakligil said:

Hi Nik,

You might want to return that 40D since it seems to have an acute dead pixel problem. A group of them are fixed to green and should be mapped out by Canon.

LOL, just having some innocent fun here <smile>

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Click to expand...

Thanks, Cem!
Too funny!

Wow… I´ve never seen anything like it.
Do you know what causes this estrange phenomena?

Ivan

Ivan Garcia said:

Wow… I´ve never seen anything like it.
Do you know what causes this estrange phenomena?

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Neither did I, but I always dreamed of it

It's a purely optical atmospheric effect, described e.g. here. In essence, you need a very clear and very still homogenous air, as well as the clear line of sight to the horizon. Then the atmosphere works as a prism and for a split second you get that green part of a spectrum. Normally you would only have these conditions far in the open sea, but I guess sometimes you can get it inland, too.

If I am ever lucky again I'll try longer glass (I can go 640mm and 6 fps (yay 40D!)