There's a bad moon on the rise

[lazerboy2000]

Go outside and look at the moon NOW! At least here in Virginia, I can see a bright ring all the way around the moon and it even has colors like a rainbow. Coolest thing I've ever seen!

I'll try to get pics.

Anybody know why this might occur?

 

[Calebklyne]

fog usually makes it happen around here

 

[Tuxdad]

Had a many a relative say that snow was on the way and possibly lots of it....

I think that just might be whats on the way, as my old injuries are quite unhappy this night and the past 2 nights before...

 

[Wandering_About]

Moisture in the atmosphere causes that. It can also cause a halo around the sun. In the winter, it typically means there's some very cold moisture moving in.

I have seen halos around the sun in the summer as well.

If it's low to the horizon, probably just moisture in the lower atmostphere. Could even be smoke from a neighbor's woodburning stove.

 

[dawsonbob]

Ice crystals, if I remember correctly.

 

[DocGP]

Yep, microscopic ice crystals in the atmosphere. Really awesome to see. Only seen it once down here in south Texas.

Doc

 

[hoopster]

I saw a rainbow around the sun on Easter day in Homestead Florida in the mid 1980's.

 

[pitdog]

I think you've been drinkin buddy, ya just had me and Mrs Pit stood outside looking at it and now we are bloody freezing !!!!!!

 

[grelcar]

I was outside walking the dogs when I noticed it. Looks like a giant halo. The halo was about 20 moons or so out from the moon and about 5 moons wide if that makes sense. Sky appeared clear inside the halo and hazy on the outside. I don't recall seeing this before. Kind of spooky. I told the dogs to look but they ignored me, as usual. When I got home I told my wife she should go outside and look at the moon, it looks really cool. She said she has seen the moon before so I left it at that.

I am in southeast Virginia.

 

[darkwaters]

Just looked kinda cloudy now feels "crisp"
Hope it snows but doubt it.
Bytheway in in VA near Front royal

 

[lazerboy2000]

Terrible photo but you can see the bottom 1/2 of the halo. I had my little camera zoomed all the way out and it couldn't fit the whole ring.

 

[hoopster]

I'm in Kentucky and we've got a ring around the moon tonight as well. It's large, hazy, and perfectly round. Very faint colors but mostly white. 80% chance of rain starting around 8:00am. Snow would be more welcome IMO.

 

[Wandering_About]

Here are a couple quick pictures I took of a sundog (partial halo around the sun) during a -15F day last winter. I think the wind was blowing around 35mph that day as well.

 

[dougo83]

It's the same refraction effect of any old rainbow. Just caused by moisture. Looks cool for sure though.

 

[chuck buck]

looks pretty nice tonight. the lady and myself checked it out. i have seen some more defined ones but that is usually later in the winter.

tuxdad- that is "funny" my knees have been killing me at bedtime for the last few days when i havent been straining myself in the least.

wishi it was snow but seems a little warm! i was in a t shirt today sawing wood haha

 

[Esav Benyamin]

High thin ice clouds.
Beautiful effect.

Smells like snow tonight in New Jersey but I doubt we'll see much, if any.
Just cold: first time this season my hands got cold on a late night walk.

[youtube]5BmEGm-mraE[/youtube]

 

[grelcar]

Even made the local paper.

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/12/what-caused-ring-around-moon

Greg

 

[Bufford]

This is a sign that change is coming in the form of rain or snow. We just finally got our first real snow of the year here, with snow coming a full month or more late this year. The cold front is heading your way, but I don't know if it will still be cold enough to support snow by the time it gets there.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

Had the same thing in MD last night. News said it will snow Saturday morning, but not today.

 

[lazerboy2000]

Yup, it's raining today with possible forecasted snow showers on Saturday!