August 28, 2003

Flying West

On a late afternoon flight to California from the Mid-West when conditions are right, you are in for a real treat. There comes a time when the earth below disappears into a gray haze, the sky above is a pale blue, and the sun has set the horizon ablaze with crimson flame. It is a special time, made even more so by the knowledge that the Sun has actually set, and the fiery disk that you are looking at is only a surreal refracted image caused by the bending of light in the Earth's atmosphere. Perhaps you understand for the first time the fatal fascination that caused the downfall of the legendary Icarus.

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