Panorama Photo

This is the first of a little serie of summernightpanos from Denmark. They are all from Sjælland, so pretty central for Denmark. I have tried to combine them with landscapes of various sorts, but the emphasis is on the nightsky. The first one shows Isefjorden, between the peninsulas Odsherred and Hornsherred, after sunset, from one of the best viewpoints to the entire fjord. On this day, the sun was setting at 22:00 pm, and the pano was made at 22:22. At this time the sun was 3 degrees below the horizon.

So what are summernights like in Denmark? As most of you know, north of 66 degrees latitude the sun shines for 24 hours at midsummer. The effect is felt with decreasing effect southwards through Europe to the Tropic of Cancer, and noticed by ancient civilizations. In southern Europe the sun sets later in the evening as a sign of the effect, but at 23 pm it is completely dark.

Somewhere nothwards, something happens. At some point, the sun doesn't come lower than 18 degrees under the horizon, and that is the lower definition for twilight, when not completely darkness occure. Twilight continues to 0 degrees under, when daylight takes over. As can be imagined, there is a huge difference in experiencing the sun 18 degrees or 0 degrees under the horizon, and so the twilight period is divided into 3 periods:

12-18 degrees under is called astronomical twilight. A glow against the northern sky can be seen, but the eye cannot make out the horizon in other directions. Appears from 48 degrees and northwards.

6-12 degrees under is called nautical twilight. The horizon can now be distinguished from the nightsky, and even objects on the ground can be made out, but difficult to identify. Artificial illumination is needed to say play football. Appears from 54,5 degrees northwards.

0-6 degrees under is called civil twilight - objects on the ground can easily be identified, most activities can continue without artificial illumination, and even a clouded nightsky appear bright against the horizon. Appears from 61 degrees northwards.

The occurance for each type of twilight at midsummer is appr. Poland, Balticum, and Finland. Denmark is, like the Baltics, within the nautical twilight zone. From north to south, we experience the sun from 8 to 12 degrees under the horizon. That gives a minor, but detectable difference in the summernight experience, with brighter nights in northern Jutland. In this series I have tried as good as possible to show how summernights appear to the naked eye, and so photographic dogmas will not nescessarily be followed.

Pano made from 32 pics (RAW), 70-200mm@135mm, tripod, iso-500, f/5,6, 1/125 sec, developed in DPP (daylight, neutral, moderate sharpness, periphal illumination), stitched in PTGui pro, downscaling and sharpening in Irfanview.