Halo spectacle shines in western Qld skies
By Chrissy Arthur, Tuesday November 6, 2012 - 14:30 EDT
The weather bureau says the effect is due to ice crystals in the high cloud over the region. - Audience submitted
Ice crystals in the upper atmosphere have caused a halo to appear around the sun in central-west Queensland.
The weather bureau says it is not an uncommon phenomenon to see a ring around the sun when there is high cloud about.
Forecaster Rick Threlfall says the effect is due to ice crystals in the high cloud over the region.
"Mainly in the cirrus clouds ... around about eight to 10 kilometres high up in the atmosphere," he said.
"Those ice crystals just tend to ... refract the light and split it up into the colours that you see in the halo."
He says the halo could be visible for the rest of today.
- ABC
Ice crystals, are you sure...?
