Photos

Electromagnetic radiation travels ninety-three million miles (one hundred fifty million kilometers) at light speed to burst upon our world after only an eight minute journey from the sun. It surrounds us, overwhelms us, and drowns us in its energy. It lights our world, nourishes everything around us, and wreaks havoc on our atmosphere. It powers every meteorological event: every storm, every breath of wind, and every wispy cloud. Our sky is blue, our grass is green, and our rainbows are beautiful: all as a blessing from the sun.

This is the first in a series of photos taken as we left Jackson Hole and the Tetons southbound for Rock Springs. A storm was blowing in from the west over the Tetons, and we kept pace with it over the next two hours and one hundred miles. Here, just a couple of minutes outside of Jackson, is the moment when we realized what we were in for. The sun’s rays appear to be stretching across the dark clouds to touch the mountain on the left, this during the last microsecond of their breakneck journey.

Jackson, Wyoming, 6:00 pm, August 9, 2008