Cool icebow / moon halo last night!

0utpost31 · 16-10-2008 1:10am #1

I thought you'd like to see these pics of a moon halo I caught last night. First time I've ever seen one of these and by jesus it was HUGE and very other-worldy. I felt like I was in some sort of hollywood movie everytime I looked up at it.

Click on the pictures to see larger versions...

Elem · 16-10-2008 6:03am

Thats beautiful, what causes a moon halo?

0utpost31 · 16-10-2008 10:24am

Ice crystals refracting light in the upper atmosphere.

Here's a wiki link.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloriole

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 16-10-2008 10:25am

i'm not sure I want to open a wiki about a glori 'ole

0utpost31 · 16-10-2008 10:36am

That sparrow is heading straight for that dogs ass.

Anyways, there are no 'oles in that link I posted don't worry.

Has anyone ever seen one of these halos before?

8kvscdpglqnyr4 · 16-10-2008 10:46am

This reminds me of when we visited Victoria Falls on the night of a full moon. We saw a lunar rainbow (or "moonbow").
Pic of lunar rainbow

Pgibson · 16-10-2008 1:27pm

You can create your own circular rainbow quite easily.

On a sunny day stand on a bridge with your shadow cast in the water below.
(Sun behind your back.)

Throw a large stone (for big splash) exactly at the shadow of your head in the water.

The spray from the stone will form a circular perfect rainbow centered around the shadow of your head in the water.

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0utpost31 · 16-10-2008 1:48pm

Do you have an example?

Pgibson · 16-10-2008 3:12pm

Nope.

Used to do it as a kid to prove my magical powers.

Must do it again and get a picture of one.

It really is as easy as I said.

.

Pgibson · 16-10-2008 3:33pm

Found one. (Not quite the same as my "artificial" ones.)

Note how the shadow of the photographer's location is dead centre in the rainbow:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hangingpixels/251818480/

(Seen from a plane all rainbows are circular if "the rain is there".
The shadow of the plane will be within the rainbow and the shadow of your location (your eyes actually !) in the plane is dead centre in the rainbow.)

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