HALOS

Halo, any large range of atmospheric optical phenomena that show the result when the sun or
moon shines through thin clouds made of ice crystals. These phenomena are also because of
reflection of sunlight that passes through the crystals, or reflection of sunlight from crystal
faces, or a mixture of both results. Refraction results to give rise to the color interval because
of partially different bending of the different colors constitute the incident light as it crosses
through the crystals. On contrary, reflection phenomena are in white color, because the
incident light is not split up into its constituent’s colors, every wavelength is being reflected
at the same angle. The general halo is the 22-degree halo, a series of colored angle, or in
sometimes complete circles, of 22-degree angular radius with the sun or the moon or its
center. The command of coloration is red on the inner side and blue on the outer side,
opposite to that of atmospheric phenomena. Halos can have many ways, ranges from colored
or white circles to arcs and spots in the sky. Most of them seem near to the sun or the moon,
but the rest of them occurs in the opposite part of the sky. Among the best familiar halo types
is the circular halo.
The particular shape and the starting of the crystals are dependable for the type of halo
observed. The crystals and prisms behave like mirrors, refract and, reflect light between their
faces.
Halo Round Sun:
A halo, which is further known as gloriole, nimbus, or ice bow, is optical phenomena induce
by light interaction with swing ice crystals in the atmosphere, which affects a wide variety of
white or colored spots, arcs, and circles in the sky. It is an effect of sunlight passes through
the crystals in clouds in the atmosphere. Light travels through double refraction when passes
through a crystal of ice and the degree of bending that appear independent of the diameter of
the ice crystal. The sky is slightly darker in the halo inside because at 22 degrees angle light
is not refracted. 46-degree halo is another type of halos, which is near twice the distance of
the 22-degree halo. At light deflection between 15 degrees and 27 degrees, this 46 degrees
halo is confused with the infer-lateral and supra-lateral arcs, which cut the circle at nearly 46-
degree to the right and left of the sun. This 46-degree halo is compared with a 22-degree halo
but much deeper and larger. It is formed when sunlight passes hexagonally ice crystals, which
is randomly formed, through a prism face and then exists through the hexagonal back.
Halo Round Moon:
The halo around the moon is formed by the refraction of moonlight (which is reflected
sunlight) from ice crystal in the upper side of the atmosphere. Ice crystals typically ha the
same shape named hexagonal shape. The size of the moon halos is always the same. These
ice crystals refract or bend light in the same way that a camera lens deviates the light. The
circle has a diameter of 22 degrees, and it is possible sometimes to detect the second circle of
diameter of 44 degrees.
There are three different kinds of halos.
1. 22-degree halos or circular halos:
The most common form of the halo is circular halo also known as the 22-degree halo
because this optical illusion generally forms a ring of 22 degrees around the sun or
moon. Moreover, it can also be seen around artificial lights likes street lights in cold
weather. The formation of halos involves a certain orientation of crystal of ice in the
atmosphere. The general consensus is that the hexagonal wafers of ice are arranged in
 random orientation in clusters. Think of it as a very thin cloud of random ice crystal.
The range of deviation angle lies between 22-50 degrees, as 22 degrees is the smallest
angle of deviation, and there are no lights rays inside the circular ring. Hence the
inside of the ring appears slightly darker than the sky.
2. Sun dogs:
Sun dogs are called parhelion in metrological terms. It is a unique phenomenon where
bright spots of light are visible on both sides of the sun. These spots of light of ten
within a 22-degree circle so you can generally observe two sun dogs and the circular
halo at the same time. The two bright spots lie on the same horizontal line that passes
through the sun.
3. Light pillars:
Light pillars are heavenly. As the name suggests, light pillars of light that seem like
they have descended form of UFO or respawning some dead game character. Light
pillars are formed by either natural light from the sun or the moon or from terrestrial
artificial. The light crystal that causes spectacular phenomenon are usually hexagonal
and have a flat surface but in the rare case, columns shaped ice crystals can also
generate these halos. Light pillars are formed when the orientation of these ice
crystals in the atmosphere is parallel to the earth’s surface. The light bouncing off
these crystals form a virtual image that extends in a direction perpendicular to the
light source.
The Ideal condition for seeing halos:
In Australia you are most likely to see halos when the sky is covered by a veil of high
cloud (the cirrus cloud family), this is because the temperature high in the atmosphere
when the cirrus cloud form is so cold that the cloud is made of ice crystals.
When we see halos do not forget there is only one rule for looking directly at the sun.
always shield both eyes from it never stare directly at the sun even for a moment.
Take care when photographing halos if the unshielded sun in the field of view. It is
dangerous to look at the sun through some cameras, viewfinders, especially SLRs.
None of the safety advice applies in the case of moon halos though you can gaze at
those to your heart’s content. The halo was used regularly in the representation of
Christ, the angels, and the saints throughout the middle age.
Luminous circles called halos have often been observed around the sun and the moon
at certain conditions of atmosphere usually more or less colored. They are of two
kinds, one kind of small dimension which is composed of generally two or three rings.
They appear when a small quantity of aqueous vapor is diffused through the
atmosphere, or when a light fleecy cloud passes over the sun or moon. These are
usually called corronce. The second kind is much larger, some measuring from H to
460 in diameter. The lunar halo is simple white luminous circle, without color,
expecting a pale red which sometimes fringes, the inner age. The most typical halo is
a 22-degree halo, a series of colored arcs, or in some cases complete circles. Glowing
circles known as halos have usually been determined to close the sun and moon
inbound condition of atmosphere, sometimes a lot of or less colored. They are of two
sorts, one reasonably little dimension that is typically composed of two or three rings.
They appear once a little amount of binary compound vapor is subtle through the
atmosphere, or once lightweight napped clouds leave out the sun or the moon. These
are sometimes known as corronce. Moonbows are not seen everywhere, and they are
slightly uncommon appearance, where they do occur, they've become a major
attraction. A moonbow is just like a rainbow, but occurs at night, and is only seen in
the part of the sky opposite of where the moon is seen. A lunar halo caused when
moonlight is refracted through ice crystals in the atmosphere of the earth. These are
the facts about each of these phenomena, the cause of all of them is the same.