A sun halo is caused by the refraction reflection and dispersion of light through ice particles suspended within thin wispy high altitude cirrus or cirrostratus clouds.
What is a halo ring around the sun.
When at just the right angle it causes us to see the halo.
The old weather saying ring around the moon.
These clouds being so high in the sky are made from ice crystals.
The term halo usually implies a ring and circular halos around the sun and moon are common.
This means that the halo can be seen when your eye makes a 22 degree angle with the sun or moon.
If that is a sun halo then what is a sun dog.
We ll soon post our latest video halo around the sun which i captured just few days ago last june 5th.
And a week before june 5th believe it or not my beloved 16 yr.
Also known as a 22 degree halo or a sun halo the ring is caused by sunlight passing through ice crystals in cirrus clouds within the earth s atmosphere the university of illinois weather world project 2010 explains.
A 22 halo is an optical phenomenon that belongs to the family of ice crystal halos its form is a ring with an apparent radius of approximately 22 around the sun or moon when visible around the moon it is called a moon ring or winter halo it forms as direct sunlight or moonlight is refracted in millions of hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.
Robert green of london caught this glorious solar halo on august 12 2017 from suðuroy faroe.
As light passes through these hexagon shaped ice crystals it is bent at a 22 angle creating a circular halo around the sun.
See ww2010 s website for diagrams that illustrate how it works.
However there is another type of optical phenomenon that s commonly classified as a sun halo and that s the light pillar or sun pillar.
A halo around the sun is a fairly common phenomenon.
The same thin clouds can cause a ring or halo around the moon at night.
They are made of tiny ice crystals.
Sunlight through the ice crystals causes the light to split or be refracted.
A large ring or circle of light around the sun or moon is called a 22 degree halo by scientists.
Weather folklore says a ring around the sun or moon means it will rain soon.
Many of these appear near the sun or moon but others occur elsewhere or even in the opposite part of the sky.