Sunbeams at Crabtree Ponds
A sunbeam, in meteorological optics, is a beam of sunlight that appears to radiate from the position of the Sun. Shining through openings in clouds or between other objects such as mountains, buildings, or trees, as here, these beams of particle-scattered sunlight are essentially parallel shafts separated by darker shadowed volumes. Their apparent convergence in the sky is a visual illusion from linear perspective. The same illusion causes the apparent convergence of parallel lines on a long straight road or hallway at a distant vanishing point. The scattering particles that make sunlight visible may be air molecules or particulates.
This scene is at Crabtree Plantation which was originally part of the Hackwood Estate near Basingstoke. Evidence of the historical significance of this site can still be seen in the Bolton Arch, the main entrance to Crabtree. The woodland is a mixture of oak, horse chestnut, sycamore and ash, with many informal footpaths. The grassland is managed for flowering plants.
Crabtree is an important site for butterflies due to its south facing position, woodland and grassland habitat. The elms are particularly important as a resting and breeding place for the beautiful and rare White Letter Hairstreak. Each summer a local resident and a member of the Butterfly Conservation carries out a regular survey of the site.
www.visitsoutheastengland.com/things-to-do/crabtree-plant...
Sunbeams at Crabtree Ponds
A sunbeam, in meteorological optics, is a beam of sunlight that appears to radiate from the position of the Sun. Shining through openings in clouds or between other objects such as mountains, buildings, or trees, as here, these beams of particle-scattered sunlight are essentially parallel shafts separated by darker shadowed volumes. Their apparent convergence in the sky is a visual illusion from linear perspective. The same illusion causes the apparent convergence of parallel lines on a long straight road or hallway at a distant vanishing point. The scattering particles that make sunlight visible may be air molecules or particulates.
This scene is at Crabtree Plantation which was originally part of the Hackwood Estate near Basingstoke. Evidence of the historical significance of this site can still be seen in the Bolton Arch, the main entrance to Crabtree. The woodland is a mixture of oak, horse chestnut, sycamore and ash, with many informal footpaths. The grassland is managed for flowering plants.
Crabtree is an important site for butterflies due to its south facing position, woodland and grassland habitat. The elms are particularly important as a resting and breeding place for the beautiful and rare White Letter Hairstreak. Each summer a local resident and a member of the Butterfly Conservation carries out a regular survey of the site.
www.visitsoutheastengland.com/things-to-do/crabtree-plant...