Photo Agency - Astronomy - Space - Nature

> Sun Halo

Sun Halo

author: L.Laveder/Novapix

reference: t-met03-00009

Image Size 300 DPI: 19 * 29 cm

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.
In brief:
- around the Sun, the 22° halo, not very contrasted.
- atop the 22° halo, the upper tangent arc (a splayed U shape).
- above it, ""parallel" to the 22° halo, the Parry arc.
- near the zenith, the circumzenithal arc, very colorful.
October 28, 2006 Quimper (France).

Keywords for this photo:

2006 - ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA - CIRROSTRATUS - CLOUD - EARTH - HALO - METEOROLOGY - SUN -