Northern smoke

The National Weather Service satellite made this image at 2:45 EDT today. They marked the smoke blowing down from the 200 Canadian wildfires currently raging in Alberta and Saskatchewan with the blue arrows showing the direction of motion. The thick smoke was not yet here at 2:45 but arrived within half an hour, looking like an extreme case of air pollution. Within about twenty minutes, the solar disc could not be seen through the thick smoke, now having drifted 2,400 miles from its sources.

 

This view was made late in the afternoon looking toward Black Ridge, which is nearly obscured from view. The light is yellowish, has no contrast because it is totally non-directional, and has cut the light intensity greatly. As this is being written, it should be about time for sunset but there is absolutely no clue where the sun is located in the sky. There will be no view of the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter tonight! Thunderstorms are due tomorrow which may precipitate the smoke particles.

Stay curious.