Whether it’s hot, cold, windy, or even sometimes cloudy, the Oswego sunset is always a fascinating sight to see. As a SUNY Oswego student for a little over a year, I have witnessed hundreds of sunsets so far. Being a meteorology major, sunsets come as second nature to me. I’ve had countless memorable sunset runs, many of which I had my camera in tow.
I’ll start with the basics – shown here is the sunset from Sept. 20, 2015, taken from the lakeshore behind West Campus. Calm waters, still-warm temperatures, and a crystal clear sky made for a relaxing evening. When the lake’s very calm, the sun can take on an appearance that it is “melting.” Photo credit: Matthew Seymour
Dec. 6, 2015 – the Sunday of finals week during the fall 2015 semester. The temperature was unusually warm for the time of year, and the sky was fairly cloudy. All of a sudden, the clouds exploded into color like a fireball. Students came rushing down to the lake to capture the beauty of the pink post-sunset sky. Several of these type of sunsets occur each year, but this one was particularly notable for its intensity and duration of strong coloration. Photo credit: Matthew Seymour
March 16, 2016. The day before St. Patrick’s Day. A bright rainbow, or should I say THREE rainbows, appeared in the sky opposite the sun. It’s a sight I had never before seen. The third rainbow (the fainter one in the middle), known as a “reflection rainbow,” is formed when sunlight bounces off the (calm) lake water first, then refracts through the falling raindrops. [P.S. I assure you there was a sunset here, despite the actual sun not being in the photo.] Photo credit: Matthew Seymour
Finally, one of my most recent sunset photographs, from Oct. 6, 2016. Photo credit: Matthew Seymour
As you can see, no 2 sunsets are alike!
So, you’ve seen and heard about the sunset. You ask now, where on campus can I see this for myself?
Based on my experiences, anywhere where you can see the lake as far out as possible is a great sunset-watching spot. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Anywhere along the lakeshore. Now, if you prefer flat stones (with a few large boulders sprinkled in) as your shoreline choice of rock, head to East Campus behind the lakeside dorms. Round cobblestones, head to West Campus. (Either way, it rocks!)
- The 3rd and 4th floors of Shineman Center have great vantage points.
- If you’re lucky enough to live in the upper floors of a high-rise dorm, these spots offer more-than-adequate views of the famous sunset.
- Off-campus: Areas such as Breitbeck Park, Rudy’s, and the Oswego Bluffs are excellent choices.
That does it for me today. Happy sunset chasing!!!