Lunar halo and clouds over Tucson

Moon rocketing into a halo? No … it’s just clouds. The moon itself – plus ice crystals in the air – made this halo, which skywatchers call a 22-degree halo. Eliot Herman in Tucson, Arizona captured this shot on November 29, 2017 and wrote: “It was one of these neat things that last a brief time … I was quite excited when I saw the view looking like something it isn’t. To me it looks like the opening scene of Star Trek when they zoom through into warp.” Irex 15 mm lens and Nikon D850 camera.

Seeing something look like what it isn’t is called pareidolia: More examples here.

What makes a halo around the sun or moon?

Eliot Herman’s backyard in Tuscon is a great place for atmospheric optics; check out his collection of photos.

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.