Sunset during an X-Class Solar Flare, Sunset Beach, FL

I love a Great Sunset, It’s one of the requirements of being a native Floridian. It also means I follow the weather in space, especially the goings on at our Sun.

Late December 6th, 2006, Sunspot 930 had just exploded Creating a Solar Tsunami and an X6 Class Solar Flare. See a movie of the explosion on the sun at Spaceweather.com:
http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=08&month=12&year=2006

X-class flares are big, they are major events that can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. The last time this occurred was July 14th, 2000 and it caused what was “The Bastille Day Event“.

The full effects of this Solar Flare hit earth on December 8th, 2006. I had been watching the skies since sunrise, looking for anything unusual to Photograph. Around Noon in Tampa bay, I noticed Ice halos around the sun. I placed one of those Photo’s at bottom.

So, having Never photographed a sunset during a Major Solar event I headed to Sunset Beach, FL. The Place for awesome sunsets in The Tampa Bay area. The Sun was Blasting so bright even at high apertures it completely blurred the clouds around it. Even to the Naked eye…

Here is a Photograph of the Ice Halo as seen from Pinellas Park, FL

Date Taken: 12-08-06 5:13PM Sunset / Massive X6 class Solar Flare
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/30 Aperture Priority F-Stop:f11 ISO:100
Focal length: 11mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm

Bottom Photo Taken: 12-08-06 2:29PM Ice Halo’s Massive X6 class Solar Flare
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/500 Aperture Priority F-Stop:f11 ISO:100
Focal length: 11mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm

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