matildaseagull
New member
... has an amazing ring around it tonight. One for all you talented photographers?
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The moon ...
- Thread starter matildaseagull
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The Andy Naylor Fan Club
Well-known member
Official Old Man
Uckfield Seagull
Beautiful sight but normally means wet weather in the way.
carteater
Well-known member
Midfield Minton
New member
- Dec 18, 2013
- 266
That wet weather will possibly be snow,none the less looks great with stars also in a misty haze
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Ring Around the Moon
by FRASER CAIN on OCTOBER 30, 2008
Ring around the Moon from Costa Rica. Image credit: Bruce Thomson
Have you ever noticed that there can sometimes be a ring around the Moon. In fact, if you look closely, it even looks a bit like a rainbow circling around the Moon. What’s going on with the Moon and the atmosphere to cause this Moon ring?
The ring around the Moon is caused by the refraction of Moonlight (which is really sunlight) through ice crystals suspended in the upper atmosphere. These ice crystals always have a hexagonal shape, so they always refract light at the same angle. Of course, the atmosphere is filled with crystals, all refracting moonlight off in different directions. But at any moment, a huge number happen to be in just the right position to be refracting light towards your eyes. You just aren’t in a position to see all the other refracted light. This is what causes the Moon ring.
We see a rainbow because the different colors are refracted at slightly different angles. This is exactly what happens with a rainbow. The moonlight is broken up into its separate colors because they all refract at different angles, and so you see the colors split up like a rainbow.
A moon ring or moon halo will always be roughly the same size – 22-degrees across the sky. The full moon is half a degree, so the ring around the Moon will encompass an area 44 times bigger than the Moon. This is because the crystals bend the light at a 22-degree angle from their original path.
This is the same principle of why we can sometimes see a ring around the Sun.
This site has a great description of why we see the 22-degree halo.
You can listen to a very interesting podcast about the formation of the Moon from Astronomy Cast, Episode 17: Where Did the Moon Come From?
About Fraser Cain
Fraser Cain is the publisher of Universe Today. He's also the co-host of Astronomy Cast with Dr. Pamela Gay.
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@fcain
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Ring Around the Moon
by FRASER CAIN on OCTOBER 30, 2008
Ring around the Moon from Costa Rica. Image credit: Bruce Thomson
Have you ever noticed that there can sometimes be a ring around the Moon. In fact, if you look closely, it even looks a bit like a rainbow circling around the Moon. What’s going on with the Moon and the atmosphere to cause this Moon ring?
The ring around the Moon is caused by the refraction of Moonlight (which is really sunlight) through ice crystals suspended in the upper atmosphere. These ice crystals always have a hexagonal shape, so they always refract light at the same angle. Of course, the atmosphere is filled with crystals, all refracting moonlight off in different directions. But at any moment, a huge number happen to be in just the right position to be refracting light towards your eyes. You just aren’t in a position to see all the other refracted light. This is what causes the Moon ring.
We see a rainbow because the different colors are refracted at slightly different angles. This is exactly what happens with a rainbow. The moonlight is broken up into its separate colors because they all refract at different angles, and so you see the colors split up like a rainbow.
A moon ring or moon halo will always be roughly the same size – 22-degrees across the sky. The full moon is half a degree, so the ring around the Moon will encompass an area 44 times bigger than the Moon. This is because the crystals bend the light at a 22-degree angle from their original path.
This is the same principle of why we can sometimes see a ring around the Sun.
This site has a great description of why we see the 22-degree halo.
You can listen to a very interesting podcast about the formation of the Moon from Astronomy Cast, Episode 17: Where Did the Moon Come From?
About Fraser Cain
Fraser Cain is the publisher of Universe Today. He's also the co-host of Astronomy Cast with Dr. Pamela Gay.
Share this:
EmailPrintFacebook3K+Twitter101
@fcain
Barrel of Fun
Abort, retry, fail
Prince Monolulu
Everything in Moderation
Zukey Seagull
Well-known member
Wish I had my camera with me.
I saw this earlier this evening but I thought I was seeing things. So I'm glad you saw it too.
Zukey Seagull
Well-known member
Ken Livingstone Seagull
Well-known member
Indeed, Mr. Paper.
Not only was the landing all filmed here in Hawaii (on top of our 12,000-foot volcanic peak, Mauna Kea) but, as it happens and I'm sure you realize, the moon itself is hollow, per that nice Mr. Icke (and as any fule kno).
The appearance of a lunar ring has to do with the impending arrival of the Nephalim. Be very afraid.
I would expound further but I'm late for my drop-box rendezvous with Agent Hybrid (mum's the word, eh).
Lol and luv, huns.
xxx
Baldseagull
Well-known member
He's a vanilla rapist, get him away from my kids.
ExmouthExile
Well-known member
- Feb 11, 2005
- 1,806
Did you know you caught Jupiter in that shot as well? The bright star at 8 o clock
sebtucknott
Active member
supaseagull
Well-known member
Right above my house at the moment- awesome sight especially with Venus placed within the halo.
ExmouthExile
Well-known member
- Feb 11, 2005
- 1,806
It's Jupiter
Gary Hart's Stalker
Active member
Excellent shot there [MENTION=21093]sebtucknott[/MENTION]. This was the best I could manage:
sebtucknott
Active member
Thank!
Was real tough, the ring was far bigger than it seamed to the naked eye.
Wish I still had my fish eye!
