I've never noticed anything like it before, but about 0030hrs this morning (06/01/07) there was a huge, perfect circle around the moon.
After a lot of thought, I decided it's probably a reflection of the moonlight on the atmosphere, as it was a very clear night, and a full moon.
Does anyone know if this is the case, or if it was something else?
2007-01-05 21:22:38 · 13 answers · asked by Paul O 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Both the sun and moon have "halo" affects when there are clouds high enough in our atmosphere (like about 20,000 feet or so).
What happens is the clouds freeze in the cool temps and the light passing through them is diffracted (I think that's the right word) as it would if passing through a prism.
From your perspective on the ground, you'll see the light giving off in all directions equally, so it will look sort of like a rainbow circle around whatever the source is.
2007-01-05 21:42:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You saw a circle around the moon, but you give it no further description. Was it frosty this morning? Very often a visible ring around the moon is a sure sign that there are ice crystals in the air somewhere, and since there was no cloud, this ice must be close to the ground, hence he question about frost (this doesn't need to be a solid frost, it could be simply a dusting).
2007-01-05 21:59:21 · answer #2 · answered by Modern Major General 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It was too cloudy for me to see it....
But in all cases, I assume it should be some light cosmic dust, or a form of Clouds which was equally pulled towards the moon by its gravity and formed such a perfect Circle, where the moon became its center...
Nevertheless, had it not been by the moon light, you wouldn't have recognized it as such.
2007-01-05 21:29:48 · answer #3 · answered by FOREVER AUTUMN 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it was space/cosmic dust. They reflect light from the sun just like the moon does. That's how the weird ring appears around the moon. This phenomenon is very rare as space dust does on appear alot.
2007-01-05 21:39:22 · answer #4 · answered by Buckytooth 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It was a halo alright. It sometimes appears around the moon and even the sun under certain atmospheric conditions, high humidity for instance.
2007-01-05 21:52:09 · answer #5 · answered by although71 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not sure where you live but different countries have different times, may it's daytime where you are but it's nightime now where I am, but didn't notice any circle on it last night. Don't believe in superstion either, sorry > >
2007-01-05 21:29:41 · answer #6 · answered by JUSS 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What on earth were you doing looking at the moon at 3 o`clock in the morning, did you see anything else other than a large ring?
2007-01-05 21:33:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
It would be light deflected by and shining through ice crystals in the air.
2007-01-05 22:31:37 · answer #8 · answered by checkmate 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ya i also noticed that but it was during the evining at 5 pm here the day before yesterday
2007-01-05 21:44:13 · answer #9 · answered by question master 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
oh, it was a halo.
it must have looked really beautiful!
i have seen it quite a few time
2007-01-05 21:28:48 · answer #10 · answered by new_einstein 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋