Double Sun halo : Celestial Phenomenon
A rare celestial phenomenon known as a “double sun halo” was witnessed in the skies over Ladakh.
- It is a rare optical phenomenon where two concentric rings appear around the sun.
- This occurs when sunlight is refracted through ice crystals suspended in cirrus clouds, creating this dazzling visual effect.
- It is a variation of the more common 22-degree halo, where a bright ring encircles the sun.
- In this case, two halos are visible – an inner halo with a radius of approximately 22 degrees and an outer halo with a radius of around 46 degrees from the sun’s center.
- The formation of a double sun halo is a result of the unique shape and orientation of the ice crystals in the cirrus clouds.
- These crystals, typically hexagonal in shape, act as natural prisms, refracting and reflecting the sunlight in specific angles.
- When the ice crystals are randomly oriented, the refracted sunlight creates the inner 22-degree halo.
- However, if the crystals are aligned horizontally, with their flat faces parallel to the ground, an additional refraction occurs, resulting in the outer 46-degree halo.
- This precise alignment of the ice crystals is rare, making the double sun halo a relatively uncommon sight, especially in regions like Ladakh, where the atmospheric conditions are ideal for such phenomena.
