images

Sun Halo

by

Patrick Lécureuil/Novapix

Reference

t-met03-00031

Date

2010-02-18

Halos are caused by sunlight being refracted by cirro-stratus clouds. These are thin clouds, very high in the atmosphere, and are composed of ice crystals. They bend light at a 22 degree angle, which creates a halo around the sun that is 44 degrees in diameter. February 2010.