Sky Friday - Last Sunset in Tucson

I was lucky that the last night I spent at my mother's in Tucson, the sky provided the makings for a beautiful sunset.  With photography, one quickly learns that getting good, let alone spectacular, captures of such fleeting atmospheric events is a combination of planning and luck:  you get what Mother Nature decides to offer; it's your job to make the most of it.

Knowing that luck might just be on my side, I decided to drive out and secure a location free of "man-made interference" that sullies the view.  The snapshot sunsets I've taken from my mother's property always included such unfortunate detracting elements such as cell phone tower, power lines or the Chevron station's glaring sign.  Nonetheless, the first photo featured is from her property, just before I headed out in the car.

Here are selected images from the sunset in Tucson, on Monday, April 19, 2010:

Prelude

Clouds of various shapes, sizes and altitudes show off their forms in light of the sun not seen.

Window of Opportunity

The sun makes a brief appearance while splashing select parts of the clouds with color

Transition

The sun now spreads its brilliant diffuse glow across the altostratus clouds, in contrast with the pale twilight sky.

Glow - Redux

Waterman and Silverbell Peaks, to the left and right, frame the focal point of the sun's path in this 55mm shot.  The far western edges of the cloud are now a brilliant yellow.

Understudy

The final rays of the sun now accent the previously unseen textural aspects of the clouds.