Oko Sakowin

Monday, Apr 5 to Sunday, Apr 11, 2021: high 78, low 23, gust 45 mph, moisture 0.56"

Today, April 11, is one of the two Wingsprings Sunset Days. On these days, the sun sets on the axis from the Butte to the center of the hocoka, what we call the Wingsprings west-east axis. The three elements that align on the Sunset Days are in the photo above. From right to left, they are the cockpit (the center of its roof is directly on that axis), the Butte (on the far horizon line), and the sun. This photo was taken at 7:01:06 PM, and i was slightly south of the Wingsprings west-east axis so that the Butte would be visible. If i was directly on the axis, the cockpit hides the Butte. It is pretty amazing to see the angle that sun follows as it sits. In this case, when the sun is half-way beneath the horizon it will be directly on axis beyond the Butte. 

Here next is a photo 14 minutes and 14 seconds later (7:15:20). The bottom of the sun is above the horizon line, and still south of the Butte. 

And here’s another photo two and a half minutes later at 7:17:52. The bottom of the sun is just a little beneath the horizon line, and the center of the sun is still a little south of the west-east axis. 

And finally, here is a picture at 7:21:57. I moved a little ways to the north to be directly on the axis. The photo captures that alignment of the three elements. But one of these times i will figure out a way (maybe with the drone) to get a picture that captures this alignment more clearly.