Halos

Halos observed June 14th 2009

Explanations given by Les Cowley: We see a 22º halo and a circumscribed halo (rainbow coloured), sundog and part of parhelic circle. The parhelic circle is produced when sunlight reflects from near vertical faces of ice crystals. The circumscribed halo is typically a brightly coloured oval around the sun. It is tangential to the inner 22º halo directly above and below the sun and it is brightest there. Sometimes local brightenings of the 22º halo are the only sign of it. Its shape depends very much on the solar altitude

Move the mouse over the image to see explanations.

Observed close to Koppang, Norway. June 14, 2009.

All pictures taken with Canon EOS 450D with a EF-S 17-85mm zoom lens.

The sundog is approximately 27º from the sun. Sundogs are only 22º away when the sun is on the horizon. They get further from the sun as it climbs higher.See detail below taken at 38mm focal length.

Observed close to Koppang, Norway. June 14, 2009.

All pictures taken with Canon EOS 450D with a EF-S 17-85mm zoom lens.

More pictures (all taken at 17mm, the field of view is approximately 36x54º ):

The picture above shows the part of the parhelic circle in the direection opposite to the sun (facing north-east). The bright spot on the parhelic circle to the right of the church cross is probably a 120 degree parhelion.