The top of Iremel mnt (1589m), Southern Urals.
Winter Sun
Ay River Canyon
Wintertime
Appearance
The winter Ural mountains. The setting sun and a thick blizzard below caused a rare optical phenomenon known as Brocken Spectre — a giant shadow haloed in a circular rainbow glory.
And art thou nothing? Such thou art, as when
The woodman winding westward up the glen
At wintry dawn, where o’er the sheep-track’s maze
The viewless snow-mist weaves a glist’ning haze,
Sees full before him, gliding without tread,
An image with a glory round its head;
The enamoured rustic worships its fair hues,
Nor knows he makes the shadow he pursues!
(Samuel Taylor Coleridge)