Seasons and sky
Anticrepuscular Rays
Direct answer
Anticrepuscular Rays are extensions of crepuscular light and shadow that appear to converge at the antisolar point opposite the Sun.
Anticrepuscular Rays are perspective-converging beams opposite the Sun.
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At a glance
- Found in
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Related
- Crepuscular Rays, Sun Pillar, Astronomical Season, Equinox
Anticrepuscular Rays are perspective-converging beams opposite the Sun.
A Sun-Earth orientation for seasonal, atmospheric, tidal, and terrestrial terms.
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The story behind Anticrepuscular Rays
Wide-angle photography helped make the full-sky connection between sunward and antisolar rays easier to document.
Why Anticrepuscular Rays matters
Anticrepuscular Rays show that long near-parallel shadow bands can cross the sky and meet visually at the opposite vanishing point.
Anticrepuscular Rays in practice: an example
After sunset, dark cloud-shadow lanes may seem to gather over the eastern horizon.
Where readings of Anticrepuscular Rays go wrong
A common error is to confuse them with the Earth shadow, aurora, or localized rain shafts.
Sources and editorial method
Research references used for this entry include:
- National Weather Service: Atmospheric Optics - NWS science reference for halos, pillars, sundogs, green flashes, rays, and related optical displays.
- Source
- The Great Almanac Dictionary
- Category
- Seasons & Earth Almanac
- Last updated
- 2026-09-26
Look opposite the low Sun
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Common questions
What are Anticrepuscular Rays?
Anticrepuscular Rays are extensions of crepuscular light and shadow that appear to converge at the antisolar point opposite the Sun.
What is the history of Anticrepuscular Rays?
Wide-angle photography helped make the full-sky connection between sunward and antisolar rays easier to document.
What do people get wrong about Anticrepuscular Rays?
A common error is to confuse them with the Earth shadow, aurora, or localized rain shafts.
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