Moon halo
Tonight isn't the clearest night of the year despite being very chilly. It isn't good for observing as there is quite a lot of high-level wispy cloud and plenty of airplane contrails. However, I had just got on my bicycle to go home from work when I saw a pretty amazing sight in the sky. Luckily I wasn't going fast, so I managed to stop before I went into a nearby hedge. That'll teach me to look up at the night sky whilst cycling. But what did I see? There was the Moon in the east with Mars about 20 degrees or so away around to the right. Near Mars was something that looked a bit like a curved vapour trail. Looking more carefully I realised that it made a full loop of the Moon. This was no vapour trail but a Moon halo.
Labelled image showing a halo around the Moon - 16 November 2005. Click for a larger version. CREDIT: Stuart
The other feature of the photograph is a airplane contrail that was created as I was setting up my camera. If you look carefully, you can see that it even cast a shadow on the clouds below!
For great atmospheric effects such as 'upside down rainbows', supralateral arcs and pillars check out Les Cowley's site.
Comments: Moon halo
AWESOME shot.
Posted by Rob on Thursday 17th Nov 2005 (01:47 UTC)
Nice shot!
Posted by Dave Pearson on Thursday 17th Nov 2005 (06:35 UTC)
Just to be creative i'll say "nice shot" as well. but I do mean it.
Posted by Ian Musgrave on Thursday 17th Nov 2005 (11:58 UTC)
I was driving up my drive way when I saw it. So amazing and very clear. I had never seen a halo so perfect around the moon before. I wish I would of taken a picture. Awsome shot!
Posted by Laura on Saturday 19th Nov 2005 (05:32 UTC)
I stepped outside into my garden that noght and saw the halo also.. i was transfixed by it, haven't seen one of those for a long time.
That is a beautiful photo Stuart, would like to save it if that's ok with you.
Regards,
Guy Halifax, UK
Posted by Guy on Sunday 20th Nov 2005 (09:36 UTC)
Guy (possibly in Halifax), go ahead. Thanks for asking.
Posted by Stuart on Monday 21st Nov 2005 (18:40 UTC)
Tonight(April 7,2005), my husband and I was outside looking up at the sky while he smoked his cigarette. We both looked at the moon. It was odd that we both saw this circular ring around the moon at the same time. He asked me if I could see and I told him that I could so he did not feel like he was going crazy. It was totally amazing to see it. I continue to be totally in ah about how amazing God is.
Lillie
Posted by Lillie Cooks on Saturday 08th Apr 2006 (03:29 UTC)
At 2:30 last night (Nov. 24 2007) I got a call from a freind telling me to look in the sky. So I came out and this is what I saw. I don't know how many others saw it, I haven't heard anything about it anywhere. It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen though!
Posted by Keith on Sunday 25th Nov 2007 (00:59 UTC)
At about 12:30am on Sunday November 25,2007,I got a call from my mother to go outside and look at the Moon. When I went outside to look and I saw a bright ring around the moon that was so beautiful and amazing,but yet very scary at the same time! This is the first time I had ever seen anything like this. So I started to search the Internet and I found this,"AWESOME PICTURE"! Seen here in Fresno California.
Posted by Jesse J. on Sunday 25th Nov 2007 (10:17 UTC)
hey..!
same thing happened to me today..!
it's pretty amazing.i never saw something like that before.
i'm glad that i found your blog.it's really helpful.
btw i'm from Sri Lanka.
Posted by harindu on Thursday 12th Jun 2008 (15:23 UTC)
thanks thanks - am looking at the most beautiful halo - no idea what it was until i found your blog. dec. 8 2008 915pm north georgia
Posted by e.menk on Tuesday 09th Dec 2008 (02:15 UTC)
Did anyone see the moon halo in North Norfolk 2nd May at 10.35 pm BST? Can you often see a halo on a half moon?
Posted by annie on Sunday 03rd May 2009 (09:53 UTC)
Four years later, and this site still offered the best explanation for this phenomenon that we could find, so thanks, Stuart! We have a beautiful example tonight in the skies above Melbourne (Australia) and it was great to learn more about it,
Posted by Linda on Tuesday 29th Sep 2009 (11:29 UTC)
I saw one of these at about 12AM Dec 3rd, 2009. I live in Palm City/ Stuart, Florida. I was amazed by this phenomenon. The moon was directly overhead, so I laid on my driveway and it was as if I was on the moon looking at some other object in space. Almost like the moon had formed a black hole. It was truly one of the most awesome things I have ever witnessed but my camera would not capture anything but a bright dot with all black around. I guess this is not totally uncommon, as I saw someone in Australia has a post from not long ago and there are quite a few others. But to witness it is truly a blessing. Thank you God!
Posted by Jeremy on Friday 04th Dec 2009 (19:10 UTC)
I saw one of these at about 12AM Dec 3rd, 2009. I live in Palm City/ Stuart, Florida. I was amazed by this phenomenon. The moon was directly overhead, so I laid on my driveway and it was as if I was on the moon looking at some other object in space. Almost like the moon had formed a black hole. It was truly one of the most awesome things I have ever witnessed but my camera would not capture anything but a bright dot with all black around. I guess this is not totally uncommon, as I saw someone in Australia has a post from not long ago and there are quite a few others. But to witness it is truly a blessing. Thank you God!
Posted by Jeremy on Friday 04th Dec 2009 (19:10 UTC)
I saw one of these at about 12AM Dec 3rd, 2009. I live in Palm City/ Stuart, Florida. I was amazed by this phenomenon. The moon was directly overhead, so I laid on my driveway and it was as if I was on the moon looking at some other object in space. Almost like the moon had formed a black hole. It was truly one of the most awesome things I have ever witnessed but my camera would not capture anything but a bright dot with all black around. I guess this is not totally uncommon, as I saw someone in Australia has a post from not long ago and there are quite a few others. But to witness it is truly a blessing. Thank you God!
Posted by Jeremy on Friday 04th Dec 2009 (19:10 UTC)
I just saw my first moon halo! I'm in Orlando and It's about 4am. The most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Great way to start off 2010
Posted by Gibeth on Sunday 03rd Jan 2010 (09:26 UTC)
5 years later and people are still googling "moon halo" and reaching your great picture and explanation. Tonight we had an amazing one over the clear winter skies in the Galilee in Israel. This by the way the full moon of our holiday known as the New Year for the trees
Posted by sara lekach on Friday 29th Jan 2010 (22:43 UTC)
Thanks for educating me about a moon halo. I saw my first one January 29, 2010 while vacationing in Fort Myers Beach, FL (SW Florida). Very beautiful and mysterious. I was able to get a picture although I don't see any color in my photo, but the ring is visible. How large of an area can see a moon halo? Or is it stricly dependent on the type of clouds overhead? Thanks for making your info available to us!
-Paul
Posted by Paul Lundgren on Monday 01st Feb 2010 (04:24 UTC)