- #1
relativelyslow
- 104
- 0
11/23 10:41. the moon is shining through a circular opening in the clouds or something. seriously, the opening is a perfect circle. it is the weirdest thing!go look at it! what the heck?
Check out 12.2 on this link:relativelyslow said:its actually not just an opening in the clouds; its like a ring! outside the ring i see stars and stuff so its not continuous cloud cover with an opening. i assume they are clouds because i don't know what else the light would reflect off of. does anyone know what's going on? this is the coolest thing
Two things: the spacing of the rings is determined by the shape of the ice crystals and air gets a degree or two colder for every 1,000 feet of altitude.relativelyslow said:thats cool. it seems kind of arbitrary that the radius of the circle around the moon is what it is. what do you mean two possible rings at 22 and 44 degrees? its hard to imagine ice crystals in florida but i suppose it is cold at that altitude.
The spacings are actually 22 degrees (light entering a side facet of an ice crystal and exiting through another) and 46 degrees (light entering a side facet and leving through an end facet, for instance). Those of us who live in the higher latitudes probably get to see more halos and more types of them than you Southerners. Here is a very comprehensive website on halos:relativelyslow said:thats cool. it seems kind of arbitrary that the radius of the circle around the moon is what it is. what do you mean two possible rings at 22 and 44 degrees? its hard to imagine ice crystals in florida but i suppose it is cold at that altitude.
The moon appears perfectly circular due to its spherical shape and the angle at which it reflects sunlight. Our perspective from Earth also plays a role in how we perceive the moon's shape.
Yes, the moon can appear non-circular during certain phases, such as a crescent or gibbous shape. This is due to the changing angle at which the sun's light is reflected off the moon's surface.
The moon's light is able to penetrate through clouds because it is much brighter than the surrounding sky. This is due to its reflection of sunlight and its close proximity to Earth.
No, the moon's apparent size in the sky can vary depending on its distance from Earth. When it is at its closest point, called perigee, it appears larger than when it is at its farthest point, called apogee.
Yes, Earth's atmosphere can impact the moon's appearance. Atmospheric conditions, such as humidity and pollution, can affect the amount of light that is able to reach our eyes, making the moon appear different colors or hazy.