Halo Above Gurnee, Illinois
May 29, 2005
Provided and copyright by: Bill Verzal
Summary authors & editors: Bill Verzal; Jim Foster
I took this photo of a 22 degree halo at a park in Gurnee, Illinois, on April 9, 2005. While playing with my kids on the "monkey bars," I noticed a halo developing overhead within a cirrus cloud deck. I ran for my camera and snapped the above picture. This hazy halo entertained us for approximately 20 minutes before it began to dissipate. A complete halo can only appear when the Sun's elevation above the horizon is greater than the angular radius of the halo (in this case 22 degrees). When cirrus type clouds are in the vicinity of the Sun, halo phenomena can often be detected -- you just have to look up.
Photo details: Canon Digital Rebel, 1/4000 shutter, f/5.6.
Related Links: