tonights moon in northern california

Is anyone else seeing this? I don't have a camera capable of capturing the picture, but the moon is surrounded by a very visible halo that is about 10-15 moons in diameter. I have seen small halos before. Never one this big though. Surely there is an explanation.

Is it kinda reddish? It is probably ice crystals in the atmosphere giving it the ring effect.
home.hiwaay.net...

The ring around the Moon is caused by the refraction of Moonlight (which of course is reflected sunlight) from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. The shape of the ice crystals results in a focusing of the light into a ring. Since the ice crystals typically have the same shape, namely a hexagonal shape, the Moon ring is almost always the same size. Less typical are the halos that may be produced by different angles in the crystals. They can create halos with an angle of 46 degrees.

Is there a thin layer of cloud, possibly, because I see this often here in Alberta, Canada, and its nothing to get excited about. Although, it IS beautiful.

The biggest halo I have ever seen took up the entire western portion of the sky one night, would you say your halo is about the same size? Too bad you don't have a camera, I would love to see a photo of this just for comparison sake.

yeah,you drank too much.I was just outside smoking and the moon was perfectly fine.Nice and bright as always.i'm in Florida by the way.

There was a hazy sky here in mo last night and I too saw the majestic beauty you speak of. Tonight it is clear however and no brilliant halo. It is always the little things that are the miracles in our lives huh?

reply to post by AllUrChips


Thanks for the link. It IS very beautiful! I wish my camera could capture it. I guess since we don't get icy clouds here that often it is more rare. I am new to sky watching. Fascinating stuff.

Anyway, thanks for fielding a noob question. I knew you guys would come through!

Originally posted by nightstalker78
yeah,you drank too much.I was just outside smoking and the moon was perfectly fine.Nice and bright as always.i'm in Florida by the way.

Well if the OP is in California, I don't think you will be seeing what he or she is seeing. You live on opposite ends of the spectrum.

reply to post by Templeton


No worries!
Thats why were all here to make eachother aware of things. I know ive learned quite a bit on ATS I love it. Welcome, by the way
Yes I live in Colorado so we have these moons quite a bit in winter, and yes, they are beautiful

Just like that.

reply to post by Templeton


When I lived in Pennsylvania it wasnt uncommon for the halo to be almost down to the horizon some nights.

I'm in socal this week and I don't see a halo. I gonna have to say its atmospheric conditions also.