A Super Moon's Halo
Image Credit & Copyright: Luis Argerich
Explanation: A Full Perigee Moon rose as the
Sun set last Sunday. At its closest to
Earth it was, by just a bit, the year's brightest and largest Full Moon also known as a
Super Moon. Seen from Punta Piedras,
Argentina and the mouth of the
Rio de La Plata, near
Buenos Aires,
the Super Moon's light created this magnificent
circular lunar halo. Still, the size of a lunar halo is determined by the geometry of six sided
water ice crystals in planet Earth's high, thin clouds. The crystals
deflect the rays of moonlight more strongly through a minimum angle of 22 degrees. So this halo has an inner radius of 22 degrees, just like the halos of the less-than-super moons. Even more common than a Super Moon, beautiful 22 degree
halos can be spotted at any time of year.
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