Optical Phenomenon
3rd March 2023
It was a stunning day in the mountains once you got above a layer of cloud caused by a temperature inversion. The snowpack was generally firm and stable with some softening in the sun.
It was great to see a fogbow and a Broken Spectre.
A fogbow just after breaking through the cloud layer.
Broken Spectre on Carn Dearg Meadhonach.
Ben Nevis
Mountain hare tracks
Aonach Mor
Aonach Beag
Carn Mor Dearg and Ben Nevis.
Carn Mor Dearg Arete and Ben Nevis.
Some zoomed in shots showing the North face of Ben Nevis below.
Observatory Gully area
Coire na Ciste
Number 5 Gully
Comments on this post
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Colin
3rd March 2023 7:01 pm
Stunning pictures! Well done. What do you think was the mountain showing above the inversion in the distance in picture 7? Bidean?
lochaberadmin
3rd March 2023 11:23 pm
Yes, Bidean nam Bian,
Matt Dalby
3rd March 2023 11:30 pm
I think the picture labelled Broken spectre is a glory. Glory refers to the rainbow effect, a Brocken spectre (I think this is the correct spelling after the Brocken mountain in Germany) is where you can see your shadow projected onto a layer of cloud. The shadow can often appear to dance as the top of the cloud layer moves in a slight breeze. Hundreds of years this led to the belief that they were witches dancing in the moonlight. A glory and spectre are often seen together, you might of seen your shadow and it just doesn’t show up in the photograph.