Topic: New to me but interesting?

[telboy]

Taken @19.00 today.

[hippydave]

Found this info on them

Rather than being caused by raindrops, it is the result of freak atmospheric conditions rarely seen outside the North and South Poles.

While normal rainbows are formed when light penetrates raindrops and emerges on the other side without changing direction, the smile is formed when sunlight shines through millions of tiny ice crystals in cirrus and cirrus stratus clouds.

Because the crystals are flat and hexagonal, they invert the light and create an upside-down curve called a circumzenithal arc.

The phenomenon relies on the sun being low in the sky, normally less than 32 degrees from the horizon.

The arcs can appear at any time of the year, hovering in the sky only fleetingly because clouds tend to move quickly near the zenith.

[telboy]

Well, thank you Dave for that most interesting info!
I'll post another 'sky' pic. shortly which was local to where I live.
It won't be a 'what's this thread'!

[telboy]

All good stuff - our sky.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Is that a solar halo? If so, it's not that rare, but they tend to go unnoticed. I know from experience that they can be really spectacular. The emperor Constantine I saw one, and turned aside to pray at the local temple of Apollo, the Roman sun god. For many years after, he struck coins by the million celebrating the Unconquerable Sun as his 'companion'. He legalised the church, which claimed him as a convert, and turned his vision into one of the cross.

[telboy]

Not a solar halo Robert. I've seen a few of those and in my experience, it was a good indicater for ensuing rain.