'Letterbox Sunset' Mutare, 23 November 2025.

On Sunday 23 November, there was a late afternoon appearance of the setting Sun through a gap in cloud above the distant horizon behind Hospital Hill to the WSW of Mutare. After a few minutes it disappeared into a lower layer of cloud only to re-emerge unexpectedly to produce a brief ‘letterbox sunset’ through a narrow gap immediately above the eastern end of the prominent ridge which runs behind Sakubva Township. This was one of a number of such sunsets which occur at this time of the year when the setting Sun, due to an unusual combination of circumstances, manages to re-appear from behind cloud at the last minute before descending below the horizon.

Tripod-mounted Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 in sunset mode.

Compilation of composite image showing early view and subsequent development of 'Letterbox Sunset'.