2007-12-25 03:16:27 · 17 answers · asked by JOSEPH W 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Weather
A halo around the moon is caused by ice crystals the the upper atmosphere. When the light from the moon shines though them it is diffused by the ice crystals causing the halo effect. This is the same condition that causes sun dogs which is a small strip of rainbow colors left and right of the sun and with opposing color bands but because the sunlight is mush stronger and brighter you get the rainbow strips at the light is refracted (bent).
2007-12-25 03:24:16 · answer #1 · answered by Kevin M 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I saw it as well while smoking cigarettes on my back porch. Last time I saw a halo it snowed rather soon afterwards. Here's hoping!
As others said, it is caused by tons of hexagonal ice crystals in the upper atmosphere, usually attributed to cirrus clouds. There is a warm front passing through my area right now, as I heard thunder just a little while ago. Check wikipedia if you'd like to know more. There is also a sun halo. :)
2007-12-28 07:24:19 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 22° halo is the commonest of the halo phenomena and is caused by the refraction of sunlight or moonlight through ice crystals with faces at 60° to each other, the commonest of the ice crystals. The crystals occur in cirrostratus cloud and a halo is diagnostic of cirrostratus cloud even if you cannot see the cloud.
In high latitudes, cirrostratus is often a precursor of a warm front and so it can be followed a few days later by precipitation but this is not the case in lower latitudes. We often get haloes in Australia but they are not associated with fronts.
There is a excellent website about haloes and other atmospheric phenomena here:
http://www.meteoros.de/indexe.htm
2007-12-25 10:34:20 · answer #3 · answered by tentofield 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Haloes are produced when the sunlight or moonlight are refracted by ice crystals present in cirrus or cirrostratus clouds.This can be seen around both the sun and the moon.The ring, if faint is white in colour but if more strongly developed,the inner edge is red.The halo of 22 degrees is common.The space within the ring may appear less bright than that just outside.
2007-12-25 04:16:22 · answer #4 · answered by Arasan 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I saw it. I have always heard that when there is a ring around the moon like that in the winter, it means it's going to snow within 10 days. The light is not actually a ring around the moon, but a light overcast of clouds and the moon is so bright that it looks like it's a ring.
2007-12-25 03:21:12 · answer #5 · answered by golden rider 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i noticed it but i do not know how it is formed. but everytime there is a ring around the moon, three people that is in my family or in some way related to my family will die in the next week. it never fails. last time there was a ring around the moon my mom died, a cousin, and a family friend. hope it wont be me!!!!!
2007-12-25 03:20:31 · answer #6 · answered by JEN 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Water cyrstals in the upper atmosphere reflect light from the light reflection off the moon from the sun.
2007-12-25 03:22:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It was a phenomenon caused by an upper atmosphere disturbance attributed to a flying sleigh.
2007-12-25 03:21:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is usually a form of something having to do with the forming of ice crystals..
2007-12-25 03:19:33 · answer #9 · answered by Rather be dead than red... 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it's some kind of a miracle. I saw something similar a few months ago.
2007-12-25 03:25:26 · answer #10 · answered by Jade 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋