HALOS AND RAINBOWS VOLUME II
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Let’s go on sharing optical phenomena as we did in Volume I. Volume I ended wit a joyful Halo Dance by Keelin and a parhelic circle by Michael. Check once more if you didn’t yet.
Today in the fringes of an upcoming front over here a UTA and suncave Parry arc appeared forming its characteristic roof above the sun.
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What a beautiful beginning to Volume II, Hans! And an upcoming front sounds definitely auspicious. I imagine you are already ready for it.
And indeed, the perfect parhelic Michael left us with on Volume I is worth a revisit with its lovely swirl of clouds above and below. Clearly a winner.
More thrills to come for certain now that we’re Launched!
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What a beautiful dog, Eric! I believe you’ve captured a very playful spirit there. And Hans, what a gorgeous corona posted on the Gallery yesterday. Congratulations! Most recently, this late afternoon 22˚ made my toes wiggle in delight.
The following day, an even bigger delight arrived in the form of announcement that Gavin will be coming to California (also Oregon and Colorado) for a series of talks! One venue is near enough that I’ll be able to attend and thank him in person for all he has done to bring us CAS and the forums that make toes wiggle worldwide.
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It is nice to read, Keelin, that Gavin is on tour in your neighborhood (well almost in your neighborhood?). Great to have the opportunity to meet the member with number one! He did a great job to establish the CAS. An enormous achievement considering the vast amount of amazing pictures in the gallery gathered from all over the world. A great source of inspiration for certain.
I am curious whether he would visit the low lands once, but I am afraid I have to visit England for an occasion. I certainly hope to read something about his visit later from you!
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And Keelin is quite right about your corona photo posted in the Gallery, Hans. You captured a real ensemble performance!
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Those supernumeraries are fun to see in all their intense glory, Hans, so thank you for posting the enhanced version. And I had to laugh at the vision you offered of a charcoal dusting in your chase of treasure. No doubt many cloudspotters have endured similar fates tramping through muddy bogs and dusty plains in pursuit of the ever ethereal wonders above.
The image below is obviously tweaked with contrast and noise, but I like the otherworldly effect it delivers — like some kind of magical seascape. Wonders above, wonders below.
Wonders -
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An eccentric halo. It’s more like an egg, not even an ellipse. Perhaps a perspective effect?
https://whitelion07.deviantart.com/art/country-side-465531469
This fellow, Sabin Fota, has some nice night sky pictures. Sadly, he’s gone, died young, not even 40.
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You captured very bright and distinct colors of the 22 degrees halo Keelin in your On The Wing. Love the composition and its colors.
Here is a 22 degrees halo hardly recognizable as such. I know it is a 22 degrees halo because of its relative position to the sun, but the picture would suggest some iridescence.
Delicate Appearance -
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Thank you, Hans. And wow! I love the subtly in Delicate Appearance. And Undulating Iridescence is pure joy to behold. Both images are highly appealing while tapping different emotions.
In the photo below, clouds were on the move, a blossoming tree danced in the breeze, and a halo came and went without a whisper.
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A picture like a poem Keelin.
it is like you say, these optical halos come and go with a whisper. Next one is a sundog that suddenly appeared in what seemed to be a bled part of he sky. The existence of faint almost invisible cirrostratus is betrayed by the sundog. Just for a moment ….. and then gone.
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In the Nebraska Asperitas thread I read about the excitement of seeing a surprise in the sky. I had that experience two days ago seeing my first Circumhorizontal arc. It is a rare phenomenon over here for it is only two month in the year for just the midday hours that the sun is high enough to enable the appearance.
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It was great George and I certainly have a wider view. I even saw it develop and also disappear within about three quarters of an hour. I intend to post one for the gallery, but that has to wait until the problems with the gallery are solved. There were some updates of the site this week but seemingly not sufficient yet to solve the problem. Meanwhile I can post some of the close ups on the forum. Some play with LR gives extra fun, but that is not meant for the gallery. To be continued.
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Thank you Keelin. And I forgot to answer a question from George. I was hunting and hoping for a CHA because I saw the conditions were there: high sun and some cirrus although not much and most of the time not drifting to the place were they might form an arc. Former years I had no success but now also the crystals were the right ones when they finally found the right place in the sky. Yes all toes awiggle:)
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Hans, you inspired me to look for this uncommon phenom, CHA. At 40 degrees of latitude, I have more chances than you, but still limited to a season. So I walked out around noon, scanned the sky and there it was. Very faint, I was not sure it would show in photos. Not spectacular, by any means, but still a spotting (my second). You have to look closely …
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Congrats George for spotting a CHA already the second day you tried. It took some years for me. I can see them clearly and the arc is far more broad than I spotted. Beautiful.
You asked how to post a picture for the gallery. Click on Gallery of the main menu and you can choose between the ´Gallery´, ´Picture of The Month´ and ´How to submit a photo´. You will find an email address to send your picture to and some advise. Easy as that. I look forward for a picture by you on the Gallery!
This were the last moments of my CHA where only the aqua and blue colors of the CHA were visible. One can see that it wasnt a large patch of cirrus in which the arc appeared. The colors were nevertheless amazing bright.
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Beautiful CHA George!
Concerning the colors, know that I did enhance the colors a little George. Sometimes I exaggerate for the effect of it, but now I tried to stay closest to what I saw. To me it seems the picture itself is always a rather blake copy of reality. In reality one can see the brilliance of the colors better and to meet reality the picture always needs some enhancements imho. The camera operates differently from our our own eyes and brains that correct in their own way for contrasts.
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George, the CHA you shared with us a couple of posts above is gorgeous! A well-deserved reward for keeping keen eyes on the skies.
And love those iridescent waves of wonder, Hans! So glad you dove into the archives for it.
The image below is from archives here as well. I wasn’t sure what to do with it initially, but now that we have a topic for halos and such…. If it fits the description of a Parhaelic Cirle, then it is my first sighting of one (!) and it brings a question about those little rays shooting off the outer edge of it. Anyone have an explanation for this?
Circle Dance Of The Fairies?-
Keelin, this does look like a parhelic circle. I think it is quite rare to see an arc so large, so congratulations! The dancing fairies, I think, are some thicker cirrus illuminated by the parhelic circle.
I do have an observation that includes a piece of a parhelic circle, though I was concentrated on the very bright sun dog.
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Congrats on this one Keelin. This must be a parhelic. The arc is like drawn with a fine pencil in the cirrostratus. Whenever you doubt about it, be sure that the line of white light is at the same height as the sun making a circle with the zenith in the middle, passing through the sun and the two possible sundogs as well. That is only the rare case when the arc is complete, but also small segments sometimes show up in the cirrus recognizable by their relative brightness. Follow the imaginary line the arc must describe to confirm (or not). Check also Atoptics parhelic circle.
It is always a joy to capture one! It isn’t appearing that often.
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Thank you, Hans. I have always felt a tingle of joy seeing such wonders posted by others on the forum. Now, having caught a parhelic circle above my own noggin here, the tingle goes all the way down to my toes.
And George, thank you as well. Your sundog with parhelic tale really captures that joyous feeling better than any words can describe.
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Just two days ago the tingle was felt over here. Hereunder is an example of a short segment of the parhelic together with a segment of the 22 degrees halo. You can see that the sun was high at that moment (approaching midday approximately 55 degrees altitude) and the parhelic describes a circle around the zenith at just that altitude.
Small segment of the parhelic arc in the cirrus right under
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Thanks george. Over here being for so long under the influence of a anticyclone – giving lots of cirrus and cirrostratus and a bone dry nature – the weather seems to be favorable for parhelic circles. Epidemic I would say having spotted three appearances in less than two weeks. Yesterday I even captured a complete circle.
I wish to think I can see the two 120 degrees parhelions and even the anthelion just opposite to the sun on the parhelic (although I am less sure about that one). Any opinions?
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You are so lucky to spot another CHA George. Very nice. The chance to spot a CHA over here is already diminished. Nice moon and corona. I didn’t find Zubengenubi, but I suppose you can blow up your original to spot it. Saw your video of IS passing by. Quite surrealistic this bright moving spot in the dark.
The next picture unveils the secret Newton did not know about how the moon is kept in its orbit.
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Hans, that moon shot is outstanding!
On this side, the CHA sightings continued yesterday, thanks to lots of high clouds as a large storm approached. I have to give you credit again for starting this. A couple of shots below, obviously enhanced. In the second one, the effect is not very strong, but I like the whole chaotic sky.
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Technical spec of chaotic sky from first thread above
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I was very lucky to catch this rainbow over Mirror Lake in Lake Placid. (Picture slightly enhanced.)
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I took a walk through my archives and found a CZA and infralateral arc (most probably because it touches the CZA).
Later also other arcs appeared….
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Found this in EarthSky today:
Almost unbelievable. A question I have is what are the two rainbow-like symetrical patches close to the edges (lower half)?
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Besides atoptics one can also check the site meteoros.de: infralateral arc
The way you can simulate the effect of the height of the sun makes it very instructive. Fun to play with and very helpful in understanding where you can find what at any height of the sun.
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Sun, moon and rainbow in the same shot. This is a “pano” of the New York Bay (of the Hudson River) from the southern tip of Manhattan. The rainbow is over Brooklyn and the sun is setting over New Jersey.
You have to click on the picture to enlarge it to see the moon. It is high above the double wooden right piling.
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Why then oh why can’t I? You can!
Amazing images show extreme kayakers take on sheer drop down waterfalls
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Flipping over your Flipped Sundog here, Hans. What a delicate beauty. Also, a long overdue compliment to you on your image featured in the Gallery last month (August 10th) – a stunning photo that included a parhelic circle, a segment of 22˚ halo, 120˚ parhelion plus contrails over Haarlem. I’m still looking for the socks that extraordinary shot knocked off. Wow!
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Many thanks Keelin for kind words. It makes me truly sorry for your lost socks :)
Next one is from my series of my first and only observation of a CHA until now. I remember the appearance started with – or rather in – this little patch of cirrus. The first signs of eh CHA were there, for it got illuminated more than usual. With a little help of LR the colors are also made more visible.
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We had a day recently when there was a full sun halo the entire day!! I was able to go around town and choose what to shoot in front of it! These were taken at the Space and Rocket Center – home of Space Camp. The rocket is an actual Saturn V that is on display at the museum. The other is a solder sculpture. I am giving the rights of the soldier one to a friend, so please do not share! I was so tired at the end of the day, but it was such an amazing experience!
Ramona
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So glad you waited to see What Happened Next, Hans! Such gorgeous colors and movement in the morphing CHA. Also been meaning to compliment you on your beautiful CZA in the Gallery (Oct 17th)!
And Ramona, I can only imagine how fun it must have been to have the right atmosphere hang in there all day as you chased halos across town. And to see the full circles of color. How wonderful is that?!
Below, a tiny sundog caught my eye one late afternoon.
Afternoon Sundog -
Thank you Keelin. And Romona, you must have had a fun day chasing the right places to picture this 22 degrees halo. I quote Keelin: how wonderful is that?
I once had the same opportunity and made a selfie with the halo behind. Some soldier! I don’t post it here for sure.
Very nice colorful Afternoon Sundog you captured Keelin. In a gentle composition. I spotted one yesterday and played a little with it.
Waves Of Water Trying To Extinguish A Sundog
But It Stays Alive Steaming
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Not a rain rainbow, but the same phenom. This is at the big falls of the Passaic river in Paterson, New Jersey. The power of the water is incredible. Because the availability of this power, Paterson became in the early 1800s the first industrial city of North America. The falls are now part of the National Park System. If you ever visit New York City, this is well under one hour away.
The rainbow was actually 270 degrees, but I could not capture it in it’s entirety. Maybe I can stitch together the shots.
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Very nice pictures George. But beware: looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow when it is a full circle can make you crazy. I hope you can stitch the pictures, but as far as I now you have to use pictures taken with the same focal length to stitch them?
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Nice iridescence, Hans. The white clouds on the left look like the foam breaking waves leave on the beach.
The first rainbow picture above is pano that I had to risize a lot to get it under 3MB. But I have others, all taken with an iphone, so same focal distance, but different exposure. It will not be a great piece of art work, but I hope it will give a sense of the scope. That is whenever I get some time to learn how to do that :-)
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Glad to see your sundog survived the waves, Hans. Did it lead you to the treasure in your next post? What a gem! And that “peculiar” puppy is an absolute show stopper.
George, I hope you can stitch your waterfall photos together. It would make quite a spectacular image.
At Loose Ends -
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Somewhere
Unexpected
Sundog Surfing
Barely There
Wonders
22˚ Saturn
Icarus
Blue Spark
On The Wing
Delicate Appearance
Circle Dance Of The Fairies?
Regenerating Tail Feathers
Afternoon Sundog
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