Moon Ring

[Vempire1976]

So who else saw the amazing Moon Ring Wednesday (GMT) night?

[Nexus 6]

Not a chance with the weather up here, would have been a cool thing to see

[Vempire1976]

It was the strangest thing I have ever seen!!! All to do with Moon refection against ice crystals in clouds or something!! It was a sight to behold though!!!

[nightfisher]

i saw one a few weeks back it was amazing

[ozwebuk]

No pictures then?

[Brendan of Borg]

Nope not here!

[todd8137]

not here low cloud cover "again"

[jgs001]

Didn't see it, but they can be quite spectacular... saw a few superb ones late last year.

[johnh]

Welcome again Vempire, glad your getting clear skies.

John.

[Orion_the_Hunter]

I flew to France on Monday. Whilst flying above the clouds, there was a reflection of the Sun on the clouds below, almost like it was a reflection on water. Never seen that before.

[Rusty Strings]

Didn't see wednesday's due to the accursed clouds but saw another recently, very spectacular.

[Orion_the_Hunter]

I flew to France on Monday. Whilst flying above the clouds, there was a reflection of the Sun on the clouds below, almost like it was a reflection on water. Never seen that before.

Photo:

[Astromart]

Nothing - only clouds

[reddoss]

All to do with Moon refection against ice crystals in clouds or something!!

The ring is caused by the diffraction of moonlight through high altitude ice crystals.

In physics it is known as an 'interference function'. It's diameter tells us about the average distance between the ice crystals and the thickness and intensity of the ring tell us about how well ordered they are.

Always a wonderful sight.