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Arc and 2 sundogs over Illinois

Posted by in Today's Image | December 27, 2016

Halos like this one around the sun or moon are caused by ice crystal high in Earth’s sky. Notice the upside-down rainbow-like arc above. It’s called a circumzenithal arc.

Photo by Russ Adams.

Russ Adams in Pike County, Illinois caught this beautiful scene on December 22, 2016. The upside-down rainbow-like arc above is called a circumzenithal arc. The circle around the setting sun is called a 22-degree halo, and this halo has two sun dogs, or bright spots, visible on it.

Amazing and beautiful catch, Russ! Thank you.

Click here to learn the names of the parts of ice halos.

Deborah Byrd

Deborah Byrd

Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.

Tonight

Moon in Taurus on January 22, 23 and 24

Moon, in the constellation Taurus the Bull, sweeps by the Pleiades and Aldebaran.

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