A moon halo was visible across much of the UK last night, providing some stunning images.
Did you see it above Gloucester? Send us your pictures to citizen.news@glosmedia.co.uk or tweet us @GlosCitizen.
@VirtualAstro moon halo tonight over Medway UK .. #moonhalo@Kent_Online@MedwayMessengerpic.twitter.com/tFM0qd5F8y
— paul fouracre (@moleyfozz) February 2, 2015
The website earthsky.org offers this explanation for the natural phenomenon: "There's an old weather saying: ring around the moon means rain soon. There's truth to this saying, because high cirrus clouds often come before a storm. Halos are a sign of high thin cirrus clouds drifting 20,000 feet or more above our heads.
Did you see the amazing #moonhalo over #southsea last night ? @strongislanduk@TeamLocals@LongExposurespic.twitter.com/Z3wTANf9d7
— Howard Hurd (@howardhurd) February 3, 2015
"These clouds contain millions of tiny ice crystals. The halos you see are caused by both refraction, or splitting of light, and also by reflection, or glints of light from these ice crystals. The crystals have to be oriented and positioned just so with respect to your eye, in order for the halo to appear.
"That's why, like rainbows, halos around the sun – or moon – are personal. Everyone sees their own particular halo, made by their own particular ice crystals, which are different from the ice crystals making the halo of the person standing next to you."
